PHOTO  PLAY  EDITION 


THE  BEAUTIFUL 
^LOAK  MODEL  \ 


A  NOVEL  FOUNDED  ON 
OWEN  DAVIS'  FAMOUS 
MELODRAMA  AND 
MOTION  PICTURE. 

NOVELIZED  BY 

Grace  Miller  [White 

A  GOLDWYN   PICTURE 


f  J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

67  ROSE  STREET.    NEW  YC*K 


CO 

O 


NELLIE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL 
CLOAK  MODEL 

A  THRILIING  STORY 


Pounded  Upon  Owen  Da^is'  Famous  Me,lo$r,ama  and 
Motion  Picture  of;  tl\ei  Swe  Name 


NOVELIZED  BY 

GRACE  MILLER  WHITE 

Novelize*  of   "Driven  From  Home,"  "Human   Hearts," 

"From  Hags  to  Biches,"  "Queen  of  the  White  Slaves," 

"When  Women  Love,"  "How  Hearts  Are  Broken," 

"The  House  of  Mystery,"  Ruled  Off  the  Turf," 

"Secrets  of  the  Police,"  "A  Marked  Woman," 

"A  Eaee  Across  the  Continent,"  "The  Great 

Express  Robbery,"  "Deadwood  Dick's  Last 

Shot,"     "Since     Nellie     Went     Away,* 

"Convict  999,"  etc. 


A  GOLDWYN  PICTURE 


'  COPYRIGHT,  1906,  BY 

fj.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


NEW  YORK: 

S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
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Nellie,  the  Beautiful   Cloak  Model 


CHAPTER  I. 


IT  was  the  night  beforeM^hfistmas/  and  the 
stores  were  filled  with  'alhthingsljo  make:  ;ihe  lit- 
tle hearts  of  small  children  beat  the  faster,  when 
two  little  figures  could  be  seen  trudging  through 
the  snow  toward  their  home.  The  girl  was  the 
taller  of  the  two,  and  she  clung  to  the  hand  of 
the  boy,  who  worked  his  little  legs  vigorously  to 
keep  up  with  the  rapid  gait  of  the  girl. 

The  wind  tossed  the  curls  which  rested  upon 
the  broad  white  brow  of  Nellie  Grey,  and  once 
in  a  while  she  lifted  her  mitted  fingers  and 
brushed  them  away  impatiently. 

Suddenly  the  boy  spoke  : 

"Nellie,  do  you  think  really  and  truly  that 
Santa  Glaus  will  come  to-night.  " 

"3 

05'  16 


4  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

"Yes,  I  think  he. will  really  and  truly  come,** 
was  the  response. 

After  another  block  was  traversed  he  spoke 
again : 

"Who  is  Santa  Glaus,  Nellie?" 

"He  is  God,"  replied  Nellie,  reverently,  "and 
He  only  loves  good  little  boys  and  girls." 

"And  ain't  I  good,  Nellie?"  ventured  the  boy, 
looking  longingly  into  the  white  face  above  him. 

"Ve^good."  r    ,if  j 

"Then.  God,  .will  climb  down  our  chimney^ 
wori'l  'He,  'fo-taglit  ? ' ; " 

The  girl  nodded,  with  a  sickening  throb  at 
her  heart.  She  had  always  believed  devoutly 
in  the  goodness  of  God,  and  that  some  day  they 
would  have  the  necessaries  of  life.  For  years 
she  had  watched  this  little  cousin,  whom  she 
loved  as  a  brother,  grow  up  beside  her.  She  had 
denied  herself  everything  to  give  to  him,  and 
her  small  salary  had  gone  to  keep  the  bread  of 
life  not  only  in  her  own  mouth  and  the  small 
boy's,  but  in  that  of  her  uncle,  father  of  little 
Tom.  She  could  not  remember  the  time  that  the 
man  had  not  been  full  of  liquor,  nor  could  she 
bring  to  her  young  mind  any  day  she  had  not 


*• 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEU  5 

^worried  for  fear  the  drunken  brute  would  harm 
the  child.  She  did  not  fear  for  herself,  for  ste 
had  a  manner  with  which  she  quelled  her  uncle's 
drunken  moods,  especially  when  he  threatened 
her ;  but  all  through  the  day  she  had  to  be  from 
home,  and  then  her  thought  dwelt  with  the  child 
she  loved.  He  was  all  she  had  to  love  in  the 
world,  all  that  had  been  given  to  her  starving 
little  heart.  How  much  she  would  have  given 
to  be  able  to  fill  the  small  stocking  with  goodies 
for  Christmas,  but  her  wee  bit  of  money  dwin- 
dled down  to  almost  nothing  each  week  before 
she  dared  to  take  out  even  five  cents  for  Christ- 
mas purchases. 

But  hidden  away  in  her  small  drawer  she  had 

an  orange,  some  candy  animals,  and  a  horse 

that  fiercely  turned  its  head  if  a  string  was 

pulled.    This  she  knew  would  give  Tom  delight, 

and  the  throb  at  her  heart  lessened  when  she 

.thought  of  it.    She  had  also  gotten  him  a  pair 

*  of  bright  red  mittens  like  those  of  another  boy 

Tom  knew  and  had  envied. 

As  they  hurried  along  Nellie  Grey's  thoughts 
flew  on  before  her  to  the  boarding-house  which 
lad  been  their  shelter  for  two  years.  She  had 


g  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL, 

grown  accustomed  to  it  and  to  calling  it  home,, 
but  to-night,  somehow,  it  seemed  less  so  than 
ever  before.  She  was  growing  into  a  young 
lady,  and  other  girls  with  their  merry  chatter 
about  home  and  friends  sent  her  mind  in  search 
of  the  mother  she  had  never  seen  nor  heard 
much  about.  Her  uncle  had  always  told  her  that 
he  did  not  even  know  her  mother;  that  she  had 
been  deserted  when  a  mere  baby,  and  he  had 
cared  for  her  since  her  birth.  He  had  told  her 
that  it  was  now  her  turn  to  care  for  him.  Bit- 
terly the  girl  turned  her  eyes  from  a  small  lad 
dragging  at  his  mother's  hand,  insisting  that 
lie  should  look  into  the  window. 

"But,  son,"  argued  the  mother,  "it  is  getting 
dark,  and  father  will  be  waiting;  and  then,  too,75" 
she  finished  with  a  final  argument,  "  Santa  Glaus- 
cannot  come  down  the  chimney  if  you  are  awake, 
you  must  remember. " 

Tighter  than  before  the  girl  held  the  boy's 
hand.  She  did  not  want  him  to  notice,  as  she 
had,  how  beautifully  the  other  little  boy  was 
dressed.  The  tiny  red  leggins  and  the  fur  cap 
caught  Tom's  eye  . 
i  "fl-ee,  but  that  boy  is  a  dandy!"  he  said  a5 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL,   CLOAK   MODS!,.  7 

miringly.  "Why,  Nellie,  lie's  got  a  real  eat* 
skin  on  his  cap. ' ' 

"Not  catskin,  dear/'  replied  the  girl;  "some 
other  kind.  But,  there,  Tommy  must  keep  his 
little  lips  closed,  or  he  will  have  croup  to-night. " 

There  was  no  more  said  after  this  until  they 
turned  off  from  Third  avenue,  and  into  the 
shabby  house  they  called  home. 

Nellie's  heart  swelled  with  youth  and  almost 
happiness  as  she  sniffed  the  warm  air  and 
smelled  the  biscuits.  At  any  rate,  Tommy  would 
have  enough  to  eat,  if  Christmas  should  be  scan- 
ty. And  to  the  girl  used  to  hard  work  and  little 
to  eat  this  brought  comfort. 

She  washed  Tommy's  face  and  made  herself 
rea<Jy  for  dinner.  It  was  now  quite  dark,  and 
still  outside  the  snow  was  falling.  Nellie  Grey 
stood  looking  out  upon  the  world.  Lately  her 
heart  had  longed  for  a  mother.  She  could  not 
keep  it  from  her  mind  that  somewhere  in  the 
world  lived  a  woman  whom  she  might  call  moili- 
,  er  if  sKe  only  could  find  her,  and  her  tender  little 
Iteart  excused  the  woman  who  had  absented  her- 
self through  all  these  years.  She  was  alone  now, 
baving  sent  Tommy  downstairs  to  wait  for  din- 


g  NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

ner,  but  she  had  comforted  him  again  before  he 
left  her,  saying: 

"Be  as  quite  as  a  little  mouse,  darling,  and 
1  then  your  father  won't  see  you  if  he  has  been 
drinking." 

"Do  you  give  father  money  for  drink,  Nell?" 
asked  the  child,  lifting  his  blue  eyes  to  hers. 

A  flush  mounted  to  her  temples. 

"I  can't  give  him  much,  Tom,"  she  replied; 
*'but  when  he  taunts  me  with  what  he  has  done 
for  me  in  my  childhood  I  cannot  bear  it;  and  I 
give  him  a  little." 

"Did  you  give  him  some  to-day,  Nell?" 

The  girl  nodded  her  head,  while  the  boy  re- 
plied moodily: 

"Father  will  beat  me,  then,  when  he  comes  in. 
He  hates  me  worse  when  he  has  been  drinking. 
You  won't  let  him  hurt  me,  will  you,  Nell?" 

Then  she  gathered  the  little  boy  into  her  arms 
and  replied  fiercely : 

"He  shall  not  touch  you.  I  have  a  way  of 
making  him  understand  that  I  mean  what  I 
say." 

She  had  allowed  him  to  slip  to  tte  floor,  and 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL.  9 

then  turned  her  back  toward  the  window,  that 
lie  might  not  see  her  tears. 

* '  Go  down,  little  Tom, ' '  she  begged, ' '  and  Nell( 
will  come  down  in  a  minute.'' 

And  during  that  moment,  while  the  girl  was 
thinking  of  her  mother,  the  greatest  tragedy  in 
all  her  life  was  happening  below,  if  she  had  only 
kaown. 

******* 

Little  Tom  had  done  as  he  was  bidden.  He 
ran  downstairs  among  the  other  boarders,  for- 
getting his  fear.  The  fire  burned  warmly  in  the 
large  stove,  and  the  child  slipped  in  and  sank 
down  on  a  rug  stretched  before  the  fire.  He 
was  used  to  being  overlooked,  and  busied  him- 
self with  mauling  the  cat  and  making  her  yowl 
loudly  for  help. 

He  heard  the  door  open  and  knew  by  the  step 
\  that  it  was  his  father,  and  also  his  trained  ear 
received  the  sound  of  a  shuffling  footstep,  for 
the  man  was  drunk.  Tom  knew  this,  and  buried 
himself  deeper  into  the  skirts  of  a  woman  board- 
er. The  loud  tones  of  his  father  frightened  him. 

" Where  is  my  niece,  Nellie?"  called  out  the 
^drunken  fellow;  and  as  ne  one  answered  him. 


JQ  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

thinking  Mm  not  worthy  of  notice,  he  screamed 
again : 

"And  that  Tom,  where  is  he?  the  wily  little 
scamp?  I'll  teach  those  children  to  run  away 
from  me."  He  flourished  his  cane  as  he  spoke, 
and  Tom,  not  daring  to  reply,  was  lost  in  the 
folds  of  a  voluminous  skirt.  The  woman  was 
deaf,  but  she  could  see  that  the  child  feared  his 
father,  and  did  not  open  her  lips  as  to  his  hiding- 
place.  There  is  a  certain  intuition  with  a  drunk- 
en man  that  keeps  him  not  only  from  harm,  but 
gives  him  certain  ideas,  and  this  intuition  came 
to  William  Bedford,  little  Tom's  father. 

He  mumbled  out  his  desire  to  find  the  boy,  and 
find  him  he  would.  Almost  instantly,  while  the 
others  snubbed  his  questions  about  his  niece  and 
son,  his  eyes  spied  the  child  curled  up  on  the 
floor  with  the  cat.  Tom,  like  the  ostrich,  thought 
that  if  he  was  covered  about  the  head  lie  could 
not  be  found  by  his  bitterest  enemy. 

Suddenly  he  felt  himself  gripped  in  a  strong 
hand  amd  was  dragged  to  light. 

"So  you've  been  hiding  from  me,  have  ye«f  " 
roared  Bedford.  "You  thought  yo« 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  ^ 

shield  your  wicked  cousin  when  I  needed  money^ 
and  me  your  own  father. ' ' 

The  boarders  were  used  to  this  and  paid  no 
attention.  / 

'  Tom  grumbled,  between  the  blows  that  were 
laid  upon  his  tender  little  head  and  neck,  that 
Nell  was  upstairs;  that  he  was  playing  with 'the 
kitty  and  had  not  heard  his  father  calling.  Little 
Tom  had  learned  to  lie  to  shield  his  forlorn  body 
from  blows.  But  this  Christmas  eve  Bedford 
was  in  a  worse  mood  than  usual. 

"Don't  lie  to  me,  you  young  scapegoat.  You 
go  up  with  me  to  your  cousin,  for  it's  only 
through  you  I  get  a  cent  from  her/' 

By  this  time  the  child  was  dragged  up  a  long 
flight  of  stairs  toward  Nell's  room. 

"Nell  ain't  got  no  money,"  the  little  fellow 
sobbed,  "  'cause  she  told  me  so  to-day,  and  a 
girl  can't  give  you  money  when  she  ain't  got 
none." 

"She  can't,  eh?    Well,  we  will  see.    You've . 
got  to  ask  her  for  it." 

Here  the  child  rebelled.  He  jerked  himself 
loose  from  Ms  father's  fingers  and  looked  up 
boldly.  They  were  standing  upon  the  stairs. 


J2  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"Nell  works  too  hard,"  Tom  replied,  wiping 
Ms  small  nose  on  his  sleeve,  "to  give  you  money 
to  drink  on.  You  ought  to  be  ashamed." 

Then  Nell  heard  the  tragedy.  She  listened  in- 
tently, her  blood  almost  freezing  in  her  veins* 
A  loud  blow,  a  scream,  and  the  heavy  tumbling 
of  a  body  falling  downstairs. 

She  halted  only  an  instant,  and  was  beside 
her  uncle  before  he  could  realize  what  he  had 
done.  The  deed  sobered  him  for  a  moment,  and 
lie  answered  her  excited  inquiry  in  a  lower  tone 
than  usual. 

"I  boxed  his  ears  for  lying  to  me,  and  he  fell 
downstairs." 

Nell  did  not  wait  to  argue,  but  fled  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  steps,  where  the  excited  boarders 
were  standing  about.  They  made  way  for  the 
brilliant-eyed  girl.  Tom  had  lost  his  senses,  and 
Nell,  too  youthful  to  understand  that  his  little 
brain  had  been  injured  by  the  fall,  cried  out : 

"He  has  been  killed!  Oh,  won't  some  one  go 
for  the  doctor?  Won't  some  one  help  me  to 
save  his  life!" 

She  did  not  plead  in  vain,  for  a  man  was  al- 
ready OB  his  way  for  medical  aid.  Bedford  was 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  JJ 

now  so  near  sober  that  he  blinked  his  eyes  to 
remember  just  how  the  thing  happened,  to  an* 
swer  the  questions  asked  of  him. 

"Tie  fell/'  he  replied  lamely  to  the  hysterical 
women,  and  Nell  looked  up  in  a  nxanner  that  her  „ 
uncle  had  grown  to  fear  in  the  past  few  months 
and  said : 

"He  would  not  have  fallen  if  you  had  not 
thrown  him  down.  You  cruel  monster !" 

She  carried  the  light  form  to  her  bedroom  and 
staunched  the  flow  of  blood  that  spurted  from 
his  forehead. 

Then,  when  the  doctor  told  her  that  he  might 
be  a  cripple  all  his  life,  she  allowed  them  to  take 
him,  unconscious  as  he  was,  from  her  to  the  hos- 
pital, and  she  locked  herself  in  her  room  in  a 
terrible  state  of  mind. 

Did  she  believe  in  God,  after  all?  Did  she  care 
for  the  future,  now  that  her  all  had  been  taken? 

"They  don't  think  he  will  live,"  she  moaned, 
rocking  to  and  fro,  in  melting  tears.    "And,  oh, 
if  he  is  to  suffer  all  his  life,  a  cripple,  then- 
Here  she  stopped  and  thought  of  what  she 
was  about  to  say.    That  she  was  almost  on  the 
of  hoping  that  little  Tom  would  not  live 


1[4  NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

if  lie  were  to  suffer  always  filled  her  with' 
fear. 

"Oh,  no,  good  Jesus, "  she  whispered,  "I  did 
not  mean  that.  I  will  care  for  him  all  his  life 
if  Thou  wilt  only  spare  him  to  me.  He  is  all  I 
have  to  love  in  the  world." 

She  rocked  again  from  side  to  side  in  her  mis- 
ery as  she  cried  out  to  God  to  spare  the  small 
idol  she  had  raised  to  herself. 

Then  she  thought  of  Christmas,  and  rose  slow-* 
ly  and  went  to  the  bureau  drawer  and  took  out 
the  candy  box  shaped  in  the  form  of  an  elephant, 
then  the  orange  which  gleamed  yellow  in  the 
smoky  lamplight;  lastly  came  the  horse — the 
wicked-looking  horse  who  turned  his  head  fierce- 
ly when  the  string  was  pulled.  Mechanically 
she  pulled  it,  and  bang!  the  horse's  head  flung 
about.  "With  a  cry  like  a  wounded1  animal  the 
girl  hid  the  horse  from  view  just  as  a  knock: 
came  at  the  door. 

She  opened  it  with  a  defiant  expression  in  her 

><eyes.    She  would  not  hear  that  her  darling  was 

dead.   They  would  not  dare  to  tell  her  that.  The 

little  child  whom  she  had  treasured  from  his 

birth,  who  had  been  given  to  her  at  his  mother's 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  ^5 

death,  she  could  not  let  him  go.    Somehow,  he 
had  so  woven  himself  into  her  heart  that  she( 
shrank  even  now  from  opening  the  door*  fear-  r 
ing  ill  news.    When  she  did  find  strength  she  ! 
faced  her  nncle. 

"You — yon/5  she  faltered,  and  then  the  man1 
spoke : 

"Nell,  he  can't  be  hurt  much.  He's  too  wiryr 
to  get  killed  with  a  little  fall,  and,  anyway,  it 
wouldn't  have  happened  if  he  hadn't " 

"Hush!"  threatened  Nell,  her  eyes  flashing 
from  blue  to  black.  "Don't  mention  his  name 
to  me,  you  drunken  fool.  You  have  destroyed 
your  own  child,  your  own  little  boy,  my  tiny; 
Tom " 

Her  voice  would  utter  no  more,  and  she  cov- 
ered her  face  and  wept  loudly. 

"You  did  not  love  him  more  than  I,"  broke 
In  the  father,  lamentingly.  "He  always  had  a 
knack  of  making  me  angry,  but  God  knows- " 

"Don't  mention  such  a  sacred  word  for  fear 
you  will  drop  dead,"  cried  Nell,  in  a  deadening 
tone.  "How  dare  you,  how  dare  you!" 

The  man  squared  his  bent  shoulders.  He  had 
•come  to  conciliate  this  niece  of  his,  hoping  to 


Jg  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

find  her  willing  to  admit  that  the  boy  had  been: 
hurt  accidentally,  but  he  found  a  young  fury 
who  would  not  listen  to  his  sanctimonious  tirade^ 

She  should  know  how  she  stood  before  him. 

"Nell,"  he  began  slowly,  now  thoroughly  so-* 
ber,  "that  kind  of  talk  don't  go  with  me,  do  you 
understand?  The  boy  was  mine.  If  I  wanted 
to  throw  him  downstairs  I  had  a  perfect  right 
to  do  so.  He  refused  to  ask  you  for  money 
which  I  must  have  to-night.  I  brought  you  up 
from  a  baby  and  have  the  right  to  your  earnings. 
I  did  not  come  here  to  talk  about  Tom,  but  to 
tell  you  that  you  must  give  me  five  dollars." 

Swiftly  the  tigress  in  the  woman  awoke.  She 
had  stood  all  that  a  torn  human  heart  could 
stand. 

"I  wouldn't  give  you  one  cent  of  money  to- 
night," she  said  slowly,  "if  I  knew  it  would  save 
you  from  perdition.  True,  you  have  brought  me 
up,  but  such  bringing  up  as  I  have  had !  You 
might  have  better  lain  me  in  the  graveyard,  kill- 
ing me  with  your  own  hands,  than  to  have  done 
as  you  have.  I  will  give  you  no  more  money  un- 
til I  see  how  Tom  gets  along.  Do  you  heart" 

"Yes,  I  hear,"  replied  the  man,  straightening: 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  ]JI 

himself  for  what  was  coining;  "I  hear,  but  I  do 
not  heed.  You  will  give  me  money,  or  you  will 
be  forbidden  to  go  and  see  Tom  at  the  hospital. 
I  shall  leave  an  order  there  to  that  effect." 

For  a  moment  there  was  no  sound  in  the  room 
save  that  of  the  howling  of  the  wind.  Since 
Tom  had  been  taken  from  her  a  dreadful  bliz- 
zard had  come  up  from  the  sea.  Through  the 
tired  mind  the  dismal  sound  rushed  amid  the 
meaning  of  the  man's  words.  Not  to  go  to  the 
place  where  the  bruised  little  body  lay?  Never 
to  pray  over  him,  never  to  speak  to  him  again? 
This  was  more  than  human  heart  could  bear. 
The  girl  narrowed  her  eyes  to  a  slit  as  she  took 
in  the  man  from  head  to  toe.  The  expression  in 
the  darkening  of  them  boded  no  good  to  him. 
It  testified  to  another  plan  being  born  within  the 
soul  of  the  tortured  girl. 
,  She  spoke  slowly  and  with  mucH  dignity. 
i  "Tom  is  your  son,"  said  she,  "and  yon  have 
a  perfect  right  to  keep  any  one  from  him  that 
you  please.  I  do  not  dispute  that  right.  But 
remember  this:  if  they  turn  me  from  the  hos- 
pital, where  I  am  now  going,  because  of  any 
order  of  yours,  I  will  leave  you  to  your  fate.  I 


Jg  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEI* 

have  paid  your  board  in  this  house,  with  Tom's, 
nearly  two  years.  I  shall  even  leave  last 
unpaid  if  you  dare  to  carry  out  your 
"threat*  You  will  have  no  home  for  weeks  to 
"come,  for  you  are  too  lazy  to  work.  I  have  given 
you  the  last  money  I  ever-  shall  to  drink  upon, 
Yemember  that.  Tom  is  housed  for  many  months, 
and  if  you  should  see  fit  to  bar  me  from  him,  I 
will  lodge  a  complaint  against  you  that  you  in- 
jured him,  and  he  will  bear  me  out  in  that  if  he 
lives,  and  if  he  doesn't  you  will  be  made  to  suf- 
fer the  consequences.  Now,  you  may  take  your 
choice.  I  have  said  my  last  word  to  you." 

She  turned  from  him  with  dignity,  and  the 
rage  in  the  man's  eyes  leaped  almost  into  in- 
sanity. 

"I'll  make  yon  eat  those  words,"  he  thun- 
dered, but  a  knock  at  the  door  brought  his  arm 
to  his  side. 

The  landlady  had  come  to  sympathize  with* 
Nell,  but  the  girPs  attitude  closed  the  good  wom- 
an's lips. 

"Mrs,  McTishi,"  said  If  ell,  lifting  l*er  eyes 
defiantly  to  her  uncle's  face  in  an  entirely  new 
was  telling  nay  uncle  that  I  did  not 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  J0 

feel  that  I  could  pay  his  board  here  any  longer, 
but  he  says  that  as  he  has  no  work  I  should  do 
so.  I  have  consented  to  do  so  as  long  as  he 
leaves  Tom  alone  and  allows  me  to  see  the  child 
as  often  as  I  want  to." 

"Why,  that  girl  looked  just  like  an  empress 
when  she  was  a-looking  right  over  her  uncle's 
head  at  me,  and  said,  so  grand-like,  that  she  had 
consented  to  pay  his  board  biding  he'd  do  her 
will;  and  I  guess  he  will,  for  he  slunk  out,  but 
I  wouldn't  want  to  stand  in  that  girl's  shoes  if 
the  time  ever  comes  that  he  can  get  even,  for 
lie  had  the  devil  in  his  eyes — that's  what  he 
had."  So  said  Mrs.  McTish  to  her  boarders  as 
she  cleared  away  the  supper  dishes. 


20          NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 


CHAPTER  IL 

NELLIE  GRAY  had  forgotten  that  it  was  Christ* 
mas  eve.  The  lights  about  her  and  signs  of 
feasting  made  no  impression  npon  her  as  she 
walked  through  the  snow  to  the  car  which  wonld 
take  her  to  the  hospital, 

The  dignity  of  the  last  few  moments  still  rest- 
ed npon  her;  the  tall,  lithe,  slender  figure  was 
drawn  to  its  fullest  height,  and  Nell's  eyes  were 
still  the  violet  that  takes  its  color  from  the 
night  She  had  triumphed  over  her  uncle  and 
had  forced  him  to  his  knees  before  her.  She 
held  him  in  the  hollow  of  her  hand — this  she 
knew.  He  would  not  dare  to  order  her  away 
'  from  the  place  where  little  Tom  lay  battling  for 
his  life.  Her  heart  sickened  with  the  thought 
that  the  child  might  not  live — or  that  he  would 
always  remain  a  cripple  seemed  worse  to  her. 
But  how  tenderly  she  would  care  for  him  if  he 


NELLJE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL,          2L 

should  live  and  need  her.  She  gulped  down  a 
sob  as  she  entered  the  car  and  drew  down  her 
shabby  veil  over  her  tear-stained  face. 

The  hospital  attendant  could  give  her  no  news 
of  the  boy.  She  would  have  to  wait  for  the  physi- , 
cian.  She  received  the  news  that  Tom  lived  with 
downcast  eyes,  for  there  was  much  sympathy  in 
the  young  doctor's  voice  and  he  felt  sorry  for 
her. 

"The  little  man  will  live,"  he  said  cheerfully, 
trying  to  put  as  good  an  aspect  upon  the  tragedy 
as  was  possible,  "but  I  am  afraid  his  spine  is 
hurt.  He  will  probably  walk  upon  crutches." 

"No,  no,"  gasped  Nellie,  throwing  out  her 
hands  appealingly.  ' '  That  I  cannot  stand. ' 9 

Nellie  had  never  even  thought  of  crutches. 
Her  mind  had  not  traveled  that  far.  She  had 
imagined  Tom  as  a  cripple,  but  not  the  crutches. 
That  was  impossible  for  her  to  stand.  Tom 
should  walk  upon  his  own  two  little  sturdy  legs, 
of  that  she  was  determined. 

The  young  doctor  looked  gravely  at  h^r  as  she  I 
wept  on. 

"Do  you  mean,"  she  said,  after  collecting 


22  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL.   GLOAK    MODEL. 

lier  senses  enough  to  speak,  ' '  that  he  will  never 
use  his  legs?" 

"I  fear  so,"  was  the  reply, 

"Will  he  be  able  to  get  about  even  OB 
crutches  1 ' ' 

The  doctor  told  one  of  his  companions  after- 
ward that  it  had  been  impossible  for  him  to  lie 
to  that  girl.  Her  eyes  had  insisted  upon  the 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

So  he  had  answered : 

"It  is  too  early  yet,  miss,  to  be  able  to  say 
definitely,  but  I  am  almost  sure  that  he  will  at 
least  walk  about  with  crutches.  These  cases  of 
the  spine  are  very  delicate,  and  one  can  never 
hope  for  much ;  yet  I  would  not  despair.  Would 
you  mind  telling  me  how  he  was  hurt?"  . 

For  a  moment  Nell  was  silent.  She  would  be 
able  to  hold  over  her  uncle 's  head  the  threat  that 
she  would  expose  him  if  he  did  not  do  her  bid- 
ding. If  she  told  this  kind-faced  man  that  her 
uncle  threw  his  little  son  downstairs  he  would 
have  the  police  investigate  it.  She  did  not  keep 
a  silent  tongue  because  she  loved  her  uncle,  but 
because  she  wanted  a  hold  upon  him  to  wield  for 
the  sake  of  little  Tom.  So  she  said  simply  that 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  25 

the  child  had  stumbled  upon  the  stairs  and  had, 
hurt  himself. 

*  *  You  are  his  sister  ? ' ' 

"No,  his  cousin;  but  I  have  raised  him  and? 
love  him  as  well  as  if  he  were  my  brother." 

•  "I  have  no  doubt  of  that/'  replied  the  doctor, 
loath  to  let  the  weeping  girl  depart  into  the. 
storm.  "He  has  a  father?" 

Nell  nodded.  She  did  not  want  to  hear  Bed- 
ford's name  mentioned. 

"And  you  live  with  him?" 

Again  she  inclined  her  head,  fearing  if  she 
stated  the  truth  he  would  surmise  how  the  acci- 
dent had  happened. 

"I  am  a  cloak  model,"  she  went  on,  "at  Fish- 
er &  Nelson's.  I  have  no  father  nor  mother,  and! 
have  always  been  with  my  uncle  and  little* 
cousin." 

"Then  I  might  say  you  have  been  his  little 
mother.  Well,  little  girl" — and.  here  the  good, 
man  arose — *  *  maybe  to-morrow,  Christinas  Dagr» 
I  can  tell  you  something  more  than  I  have  al- 
ready. Good  night. ' ' 

At  the  mention  of  Christmas  Day,  and  the 
thought  of  the  wild,  grinning  horse  which  she* 


24          NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

ted  purchased  for  the  little  man  in  one  of  the 

white  beds  upstairs  came  over  her,  she  burst 

into  furious  weeping.     She  sank  into  a  little 

I  heap  upon  the  floor  and,  covering  her  face  in  her 

'  arms,  spent  her  agony  in  uninterrupted  tears. 

"Poor  child/'  murmured  the  doctor,  "I  sup- 
pose you  thought  of  to-morrow  and  it  made  you 
weep.  But  I  will  give  you  my  word  that  if  the 
little  chap  is  well  enough  in  the  morning  you 
shall  see  him  and  give  him  what  you  otherwise 
would  have  done.  Is  that  any  comfort?" 

Oh,  to  see  him  was  more  than  she  had  hoped 
to  do.  To  be  with  him  on  Christmas  Day  was 
her  one  desire.  She  grasped  the  white  hands 
held  out  to  her  and  covered  them  with  tears  and 
grateful  kisses. 

"And  may  I  bring  him  the  horse?"  she  asked 
timidly.  "He  will  know  that  he  is  just  to  pull 
the  string  and  the  animal  will  grin." 

"Yes,  you  may  bring  him  the  horse,"  replied 
the  doctor,  and  as  he  watched  the  girl  disappear 
through  the  door  he  muttered  to  himself : 

"Seldom  have  I  ever  seen  a  more  beautiful 
girl.  She  is  but  a  child.  I  have  my  doubts  if  the 
wee  hurt  boy  upstairs  will  be  interested  in  a 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL.  25 

grinning  horse  to-morrow.    Ah,  well,  such  is 

life!" 

******* 

j  The  next  morning,  after  a  fitful  night  of  sleep- 
ing and  waking,  Nell  jumped  out  of  bed.  The 
bells  which  rang  out  upon  the  air  the  tidings  of 
good  will  and  peace  upon  the  earth  to  all  men 
made  her  feel  sick  at  heart. 

She  stood  listening  a  moment  and  then  again 
went  to  the  drawer  where  lay  her  treasured 
store  for  the  day.  It  was  for  her  darling. 

She  had  noticed  the  sign  at  the  hospital  that 
visitors  would  not  be  allowed  in  the  wards  until 
after  ten  o'clock,  and  that,  of  course,  meant  her, 
also. 

How  could  she  wait  two  whole  hours  before 
starting? 

She  tenderly  wrapped  the  horse,  elephant  box 
and  the  orange,  with  the  red  mittens,  in  a  small, 
neat  bundle  and  made  herself  ready  to  go.  The 
breakfast  she  ate  was  meager,  for  her  heart  was 
too  full,  and  the  wound  was  made  worse  by  the 
others  at  the  table  talking  so  happily  of  Christ- 
mas Day.  Her  uncle  had  not  returned  the  night 
before,  but  she  had  not  cared.  The  time  was 


26  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

past  in  which  he  could  make  her  suffer  suspense 
by  his  absence.  Her  whole  mind  was  filled  with 
Tom — poor  little  suffering  Tom. 

She  could  not  get  him  from  her  mind,  and  her 
^imagination  worked  vividly  and  caused  her 
heart  to  quail  at  the  thought  of  crutches.  He 
had  always  been  more  than  sturdy.  His  little 
fat  legs  were  commented  upon  by  everybody 
who  had  seen  him.  She  wondered  if  he  would 
be  pale,  or  if  his  eyes  would  ever  shine  again 
when  he  saw  her  coming  from  the  shop. 

When  the  hands  of  the  clock  pointed  toward 
the  hour  of  ten  she  donned  her  wraps  and,  with 
the  bundle  under  her  arm,  started  for  the  hos- 
pital, when  who  should  she  meet  on  the  corner, 
coming  through  the  dear  Christinas  air,  but  her 
uncle. 

"Where  are  you  going,  Nell?"  he  asked,  get- 
ting into  his  tone  some  of  the  authority  he  had 
had  there  the  night  before.  "You  had  better 
mot  do  anything  that  I  don't  know  about." 

He  had  planted  himself  directly  in  her  path. 
Nell  felt  a  feeling  coming  into  her  heart  the 
same  as  had  been  there  yesterday.  She  would 
cower  him  again  by  her  masterful  spirit. 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODE!*  £7 

"Step  aside  and  let  me  pass,"  she  com- 
manded. 

6  i  No,  I  sha  ?n  't, ' '  whined  the  man.  '  *  I  suppose 
you  have  not  once  thought  of  your  old  uncle,  or 
where  he  might  be  in  such  a  storm  as  we  have 
had.  You  have  only  thought  selfishly  of  your 
own  troubles  and  of  that  brat." 

"  This  was  too  much  for  Nell. 

"I  provide  you  a  good  home,"  she  said,  with 
a  dark  flush,  "and  if  you  do  not  spend  your 
nights  there,  then  it  is  not  my  fault.  I  am  going 
to  the  hospital  to  see  Tom." 

"And  you  won't  give  me  a  little  money — on 
Christmas  Day?" 

The  girl  hesitated,  but  the  thought  of  her 
darling  in  the  hospital,  sent  there  by  the  brute 
now  begging  for  her  slender  wage,  decided  her. 
She  stepped  past  him,  shaking  her  head.  It  was 
in  broad  daylight,  and  the  villain  dared  do  noth- 
ing, but  he  stood  and  looked  after  her  until  she 
turned  the  corner,  and  a  woman  from  an  oppo- 
site window  saw  him  shake  his  fist  at  her 
through  the  falling  snow  that  was  tinseled  with, 
the  sunshine. 


28  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK   MODEL. 

When  Nell  reached  the  hospital  she  stood  out- 
side for  a  few  moments.  The  tears  seemed  de- 
termined to  course  down  her  cheeks. 

She  did  not  want  Tom  to  see  that  she  had 
been  crying,  and  then,  too,  she  wanted  to  laugh 
with  him  over  the  horse.  She  knew  that  the  lit- 
tle fellow  would  pull  the  string  that  turned  the 
horse's  head  many  times  before  he  exhausted 
his  pleasure. 

As  she  stepped  into  the  large  hall,  Nellie  Grey 
for  the  first  time  in  her  life  realized  that  she  felt 
with  the  feelings  of  a  woman,  and  that  the  fall 
of  her  darling  had  transformed  her  from  a  girl 
into  an  age  where  now  she  would  be  entirely 
different. 

She  followed  the  attendant  with  beating  heart 
into  the  ward,  hugging  her  presents  for  Tom 
under  her  arm. 

She  walked  up  to  the  small  cot  pointed  out  to 
her  and  sank  down  upon  the  floor. 

Was  that  her  littte  Tom,  that  white-faced 
child  with  closed  eyes,  with  the  traces  of  hor- 
rible suffering  upon  his  face?  He  knew  she  was 
there,  for  he  put  out  his  hand,  with  closed  eyes, 
asd  patted  hers  as  she  fondled  him. 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   GLOAK    MODEL.  29 

She  dared  not  speak,  for  in  the  presence  of 
such  suffering  her  heart  would  not  permit  it.. 
Poor  little  Tom,  her  idol,  could  not  live  with 
such  lines  of  pain,  such  awful  writhing  and 
twitching  of  his  lips.  For  this  she  was  not  pre- 
pared, and  for  a  moment  she  leaned  over  the 
small  boy  and  listened  to  his  breathing. 

She  whispered  softly  in  the  little  white  ear : 

"Does  Tom  know  that  Nell  is  here?" 

A  quiver  of  the  eyelids  was  the  answer,  for 
the  child  was  too  ill  to  reply  with  his  lips. 

Nell  dared  say  nothing  about  Christmas.  She 
allowed  the  bundle  to  slip  to  the  floor,  and  did 
not  notice  that  the  paper  had  broken  and  the 
horse's  head  was  showing  through  the  hole. 

A  little  chap  at  the  other  end  of  the  room  saw 
the  bundle  and  piped  out : 

"Mother,  just  look  at  the  horse,  oh,  just  look 
at  the  horse!" 

Nell  turned  her  head  at  the  sound  of  the  little, 
weak  voice  and  rose  to  her  feet.  She  took  the 
treasures  she  had  purchased  for  Tom  and  hand- 
ed them  to  the  child. 

"He  is  too  ill  to  have  them,"  she  explained 
to  the  mother  sitting  beside  the  sick  child.  "I 


JjQ          NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL,. 

would  ratter  some  one  else  would  enjoy  them, 
as  I  had  not  dreamed  that  he  was  so  bad. ' ?  j 

"Poor  child/'  soothed  the  woman.  "What 
•>  we  have  to  bear  in  this  world  when  we  have 
laved  ones !  My  little  boy  has  been  here  in  this 
bed  for  weeks,  but  if  God  is  willing  he  will  be 
home  by  the  New  Year.  What  happened  to  your 
brother?" 

"He  fell  downstairs,"  replied  Nell,  with 
tightened  lips.  "He  is  worse  than  I  thought  he 
was." 

Her  eyes  were  still  on  Tom's  face,  the  tears 
raining  down  her  cheeks.  "He  has  not  been 
able  to  say  one  word  to  me,"  she  sobbed.  "I 
fear  his  brain  is  injured." 

"Let  us  hope  not,"  was  the  answer,  and  Nell 
turned  away. 

She  stood  over  Tom  but  a  moment  longer,  and 
with  a  breaking  heart  started  for  home.  In  the 
office  below  she  saw  the  young  physician  who 
had  been  sx>  kind  to  her  the  night  before. 

"You  saw  him?"  asked  the  official,  keeping 
his  eyes  away  from  the  white,  drawn  face. 

"Yes,  but  he  is  so  ill.  He  will  never  get  well, 
for  he  did  not  say  one  word  to  me." 


NBLJJE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK   MODEL.  3J_ 

4  *  That's  no  sign  that  he  won't  get  better," 
was  the  reply.  "You  see,  my  dear  young  lady, 
the  boy  has  had  a  severe  accident,  and  you  must 
remember  that  his  brain  is  affected. ' ' 

Nell  could  hear  no  more.  She  walked  with 
filling  eyes  to  the  car,  and  when  she  reached  the 
boarding-house  her  brain  was  filled  with  a  de- 
sire to  make  the  brute  who  had  caused  the  mis- 
ery suffer  as  that  tiny  child  was. 

The  first  one  she  accosted  was  her  uncle. 
•     "You've  seen  him?"  he  asked. 

Nell  nodded.  She  could  not  trust  herself  to 
:speak. 

"Is  he  sick,  or  just  playing  up?" 

This  was  too  much  for  the  girl's  harassed 
heart  to  bear. 

She  turned  like  an  animal  upon  him. 

'  *  Playing  up ! "  she  said.  ' '  Playing  up !  Poor 
little  man !  If  you  had  any  heart  you  would  go 
and  see  him,  and  if  you  do  I  hope  th#t  you  will 
be  so  filled  with  remorse  that  you  will  never  get 
over  it.  Do  you  hear?  I  hope  you  will  go  to 
your  grave  with  that  sick  little  face  so  im- 
pressed upon  your  brain  that  you  will  think  of 
nothing  else.  If  he  dies  you  and  I  will  part  for- 


32  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

ever.  I  shall  never  give  you  another  penny  as 
long  as  you  live,  with  the  exception  of  paying 
your  board  in  this  house  as  long  as  the  child  is 
'  alive.  I  shall  keep  the  threat  over  you  that  you 
killed  him,  and  if  you  ever  mistreat  me  or  him 
I  shall  lodge  the  complaint  against  you,  remem- 
ber that." 

"Such  grand  language,"  muttered  Bedford, 
as  the  girl  ceased  speaking.  "One  would  think 
that  you  brought  yourself  up." 

"I  did,"  replied  Nell,  stolidly;  "and  little 
Tom  also.  I  have  at  last  had  my  eyes  opened  to 
the  manner  in  which  you  have  treated  us.  Never 
speak  of  the  benefits  I  have  derived  from  you 
again." 

She  was  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  now  as  these 
words  were  spoken,  and  if  Mrs.  McTish  could 
have  heard  and  seen  the  majesty  of  Nellie  Grey 
at  that  moment  she  would  have  thought  the  girl 
was  more  of  an  empress. 

Bedford  turned  away  in  disgust.  His  niece 
had  never  acted  that  way  to  him  before.  But 
he  hoped  that  Tom  would  grow  better  and  that 
Nell  would  come  down  from  her  high  horse. 

Nell  spent  the  day  alone,  thinking  of  the  fu- 


w 
u 


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o 


o 

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H 


a 
h 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  33 

ture.  Never  had  she  been  so  alone  as  now,  and 
never  had  the  thought  of  a  mother  so  enthralled 
her.  She  wanted  to  be  with  a  woman,  that  she 
might  pour  out  her  tired  heart  upon  a  friendly 
breast  But  where  to  find  out  anything  about 
her  parents  was  more  than  she  could  tell.  She 
had  no  money  to  advertise  with  and  none  to  pay 
detectives.  And  then  a  dreadful  thought  flashed 
into  her  mind.  What  if  her  mother  should  not 
want  her?  What  if  she  should  be  rich,  with 
lets  of  money  and  a  beautiful  home.  Then,  of 
course,  she,  Nellie  Grey,  the  cloak  model,  would 
sot  be  tolerated  in  such  a  place.  She  walked  to 
the  looking-glass  and  looked  at  the  mirrored 
face.  Every  girl  where  she  worked  was  jealous 
®f  her.  Not  one  of  all  her  companions  was  will- 
ing to  tell  her  she  was  beautiful,  but  Nellie  Grey 
knew  that,  comparing  herself  with  the  others, 
she  was  more  beautiful. 

Then,  too,  all  the  men,  even  to  the  proprietor 
of  the  store,  thought  her  lovely,  and  how  many 
tknes,  when  she  walked  through  the  place,  she 
had  noted  that  all  eyes  were  turned  upon  her. 
Would  not  her  mother  be  glad  if  she  were  pretty 
end  well-formed? 


34  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

But  this  thought  of  her  beauty  faded  from 
her  mind,  and  again  she  lived  over  the  hospital 
scene.  Little  Tom  seemed  to  her  to  be  doomed 
to  the  grave.  If  he  should  die,  Nell  had  deter- 
mined what  her  future  course  should  be. 

She  had  never  been  permitted  to  go  to  school. 
If  left  alone  she  would  apply  to  some  good  per- 
son to  give  her  a  chance  to  study,  and  she  would 
look  her  last  upon  her  uncle  and  his  kind.  Life 
would  give  her  something  besides  that  awfal 
grind ;  but  if  Tom  lived — well,  then  she  would 
have  to  stay  just  as  she  was,  for  she  would  not 
dare  to  leave  the  feeble  little  cripple  to  his  fath- 
er, for  now  Nell  knew  that  Tom  would  always 
be  bent  in  his  little  back  and  would  never  use  Ms 
legs  rightly  again. 

She  did  not  go  down  to  dinner,  feeling  too  ill, 
but  the  kindly  landlady  sent  her  up  some  turkey 
and  a  cup  of  tea.  Nell  dragged, through  a  miser- 
able night,  and  was  glad  when  the  daylight 
peeped  in  at  the  window,  for  she  would,  at 
t  feast,  soon  hear  the  chatter  of  the  girls  at  the 
store,  and  that  would  take  her  mind  from  the 
Christmas  tragedy. 


2SEIJUE,   THE   BBAUTIPUL  CLOAK   MODEL*          35 


'CHAPTER  HI. 

.for  another  room,  on  Christmas  Day,  a  seene 
directly  opposite  to  thai  of  little  Tom's  fall  and 
Nell's  grief  was  being  enacted.  An  elderly 
woman,  although  looking  more  so  than  her  years 
warranted,  was  seated  in  a  Fifth  avenue  man- 
sion. The  outside  blizzard  seemed  not  to  affect 
her  at  all,  for  she  sat  looking  into  the  grate  fire 
with  a  studied  expres-sion,  as  if  her  mind  was 
far  away  from  her  world,  somewhere  back  in  the 
past. 

{^e  was  evidently  waiting  for  some  one,  for 
on«e  in  a  while  she  would  start  up  as  a  cab  rolled 
by,  then  she  would  sink  again  into  her  reverie. 
*  At  last  she  roused  herself  and  greeted  a 
young  man  who  came  breezily  in,  bringing  with 
him  the  smell  of  outside  air  and  flakes  of  snow 
upon  his  coat. 

"Well,  aunt,  isn*t  this  a  typical  Christmas 


gg  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

Day!"  he  asked,  as  the  servant  came  forward 
to  take  his  overgarment  and  hat. 

He  stooped  and  kissed  the  faded  cheek,  some- 
;what  wrinkled  and  devoid  of  powder  or  rouge. 

"I  was  not  thinking  of  the  day,"  was  the  re- 
ply, as  the  woman  waved  her  hand  in  the  direc- 
tion of  a  chair  for  him  to  seat  himself.  "I  was 
wondering  what  you  would  think  if  I  should  tell 
you  the  story  of  my  life.  It  is  not  such  a  pleas- 
ant one,  but  I  thought  you  were  fond  enough  of 
me  to  aid  in  a  search  I  am  determined  to  begin." 

Walter  Hilton  eyed  his  aunt  critically.  He 
had  never  heard  her  speak  just  like  that  before 
— never.  To  what  was  she  alluding?  He  leaned 
forward  and  took  her  hand  in  his. 

"My  dear  aunt,  you  know  that  I  am  always 
willing  to  help  you.  Have  I  ever  failed  in  my 
duty  to  you  !  I  would  be  a  hound  were  I  to  do 
go,  for  you  have  always  been  so  kindly  generous 
tome!" 

"But  would  you  feel  like  helping  me  if  you 
knew  that  my  money  would  not  go  to  you  upon 
my  death!" 

For  a  moment  the  young  fellow  hesitated,  and 
then  stuttered : 


NELLIE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK  MODEL.     37, 

"You  have  no  one  you  love  like  me,  have  you, 
that  would  be  as  grateful  to  receive  from  you 
as  I!" 

He  said  this  with  a  catch  in  his  voice. 

For  a  moment  the  woman  was  silent 

Then  she  spoke: 

"I  am  not  so  sure." 

* '  Then  why  have  you  not  told  me  of  it  before  1 
I  have  been  taught  the  habits  of  luxury,  and 
you  certainly  have  not  misled  me  purposely, 
have  you?" 

"God  forbid  that  I  should  do  such  a  thing," 
said  the  woman.  "As  it  is,  I  am  working 
blindly." 

"Then  tell  me  what  you  mean,"  insisted  Wal- 
ter, in  an  agitated  manner.  "I  will  surely  help 
you  if  lean." 

"Before  I  married  your  uncle,"  began  Mrs. 
Horton,  looking  into  the  fire  with  an  expression 
of  pain  at  a  memory,  "my  father  and  I  lived 
alone  together.  I  was  a  beautiful  girl,  and  my 
father  insisted  that  I  should  make. my  future  by 
marrying  a  rich  man.  But  alas !  I  fell  deeply  in 
love  with  a  poor  young  man  and  he  with  me,  and 
we  were  secretly  married.  When  my  father 


38  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL, 

heard  of  it  he  tore  me  from  my  husband's  arms- 
and  took  me  far  away.  When  my  child  was  bom 
(here  Walter  Hilton  started  violently)  that,  too, 
was  taken  from  me,  and  then  I  was  told  that  my 
husband  was  dead  and  that  my  child  had  been 
given  into  the  care  of  a  brother  of  its  father's, 
He  was  a  disreputable  fellow,  and  I  have  never 
been  able  to  locate  him.  If  my  child  is  alive — 
and  that  is  what  I  must  ascertain — then  she  is 
my  natural  heir,  as  you  know.  If  she  is  dead., 
which  I  pray  not,  then,  of  course,  your  prospects 
are  the  same  as  before.  The  uncertainty  of  my 
daughter's  fate  is  killing  me,  and  I  ask  you,  for 
the  sake  of  my  peace  of  mind,  that  you  will  help 
me  find  her." 

Inside  the  breast  of  the  nephew  there  was  a 
storm  raging.  He  had  never  known  poverty. 
His  slightest  wish  had  been  gratified.  But  if 
this  girl  were  to  be  found,  then  he  would  haye 
to  go  to  work,  the  same  as  if  he  had  never  known 
the  rese  of  money. 

He  had  never  had  such  a  predicament  staring 
him  in  the  face.  And  yet  ke  was  being  asked  to 
put  himself  in  the  shoes  of  a  pauper  for  a  girl 
who  really  had  no  right  to  the  money. 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  GLQAK   MODEL.  39 

His  aunt  was  waiting  for  his  reply,  and  was 
also  looking  keenly  at  him. 

"You  know,  aunt,"  he  said  at  last,  "that  I 
am  only  too  willing  to  aid  in  this  search ;  but  it 
is  a  hard  one,  after  all  these  years  are  gone  by. 
The  child  may  be  dead." 

1 '  And  may  not  be, ' '  was  the  laconic  reply.  * '  I 
at  least  intend  to  find  out,  and  if  you  will  put 
forward  every  effort,  then  your  allowance  wilt 
be  the  same  as  ever " 

"And  if  not?"  broke  in  Walter. 

"Then  I  shall  cut  you  off.  I  am  decided  to 
find  that  child  if  it  is  possible." 

* '  Then  count  upon  me, J '  said  Walter, ' '  to  help 
you  all  I  can.  I  do  not  say  that  I  shall  be  able 
to  locate  her,  but  I  will  promise  to  give  you  such 
aid  as  I  can  and  put  able  men  upon  her  trail. ' ' 

"Then  I  am  happier  now,"  replied  the  wom- 
an; "and  to-morrow  I  shall  give  you  a  check 
to  start  with,  and  you  are  to  call  for  more  if  you 
need  it." 

During  the  sumptuous  dinner  there  was  little 
said,  for  neither  aunt  nor  nephew  wanted  to 
talk.  But  after  the  young  man  had  gone  the 
again  took  up  her  position  before  the 


40  NELLJE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL. 

grate.  She  could  go  back  in  her  mind  to  those 
days  when  she  had  been  happy  for  a  few  short 
months  with  her  child's  father.  Then  came  the 
specter  of  her  parting  from  him,  and  the  birth 
of  her  baby.  Her  father  had  made  her  marry 
Mr.  Horton  because  he  was  a  millionaire.  She 
had  not  known  the  little  child  long  enough  to 
care  for  it  as  a  mother  should,  and,  being  a  little 
weak,  had  acquiesced  to  her  father's  decision 
that  she  should  never  search.  It  had  only  been 
during  the  last  few  years  that  she  had  raised 
from  her  lethargic  spirit  enough  to  long  for  the 
little  girl.  But  how  to  proceed  with  it  she  did 
not  know.  She  was  startled  by  the  sound  of  the 
door  opening  again  and  her  nephew's  footstep 
upon  the  hall  floor. 

"I  came  back,  aunt,"  said  he,  standing  with 
ILIS  hat  in  his  hand,  "to  ask  if  you  knew  the 
name  of  the  man  who  took  charge  of  the  child 
after  she  was  taken  from  you?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Mrs.  Horton;  "his  name  is 
[William  Bedford,  and  they  said  at  that  time 
that  he  was  bad.  My  father  hated  the  child,  and 
made  it  impossible  for  me  to*ever  get  her." 

"I  wondered,  after  I  was  gone,  how  I  was  to 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  4J 

proceed.    Maybe  if  the  man  still  knows  of  the 
,-child  and  her  whereabouts  he  will  for  a  good 
sum  of  money  give  up  his  information.    That  is  \ 
the  way  to  proceed,  don't  you  think  so?"  J 

Mrs.  Horton  nodded  and  drew  her  nephew 
down  to  kiss  his  face,  which  he  bore  with  bad 
inward  grace.  He  loathed  the  task  she  had 
given  him  to  do,  and  all  that  was  bad  in  his  na- 
ture cried  out  against  the  unknown  girl  who 
might  come  into  the  wealth  he  had  so  long 
thought  of  as  his.  He  went  out  again,  and  dowa 
the  street,  forgetting  to  call  a  cab.  His  aunt's 
horses  were  always  at  his  disposal,  but  his  fa- 
vorite had  received  a  blow  on  one  leg  from  a 
stone,  and  he  had  ordered  the  coachman  to  keep 
the  animal  in  the  stable.  As  he  stumbled  along 
he  was  thinking  deeply. 

"That  such  a  thing  should  come  up  just  at 
this  time.  That  she  should  have  overlooked  this 
girl  all  through  these  years,  and  when  she  is  on 
the  verge  of  the  grave  then  bring  her  forward 
to  disinherit  me.  What  shaft  I  do  if  she  does 
find  her  ?  I  might  marry  the  girl,  but  that  would 
naise  a  row  with  Hoxtense.  But  I  simply  eamnot . 
without  money,  and  I  wiH  not  give  up 


42  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

Hortense.  But  there,  the  girl  may  be  dead,  for 
all  I  know.  I'll  go  and  see  the  only  girl  in  all 
the  world  for  me  and  tell  her  all  about  it.  She 
has  more  brains  than  half  the  men." 

So,  saying  this,  he  called  a  cab,  and,  giving 
the  driver  /the  number,  sank  back  in  the  corner 
to  think. 

He  was  ushered  into  a  small  but  elegant  little 
flat  by  a  beautiful  woman,  who  gave  him  a  hear- 
ty kiss  and  took  his  coat. 

"I  thought  you  were  never  coming,"  said  she, 
as  she  followed  him  into  the  parlor.  "I  have 
waited  and  looked  out  of  the  window  so  long 
that  I  am  tired  and  cold." 

"My  aunt  kept  me,  Hortense,"  he  said,  draw- 
ing her  to  his  knee,  "I  have  something  to  tell 
you  that  will  be  a  surprise." 

"What  is  it!   Is  she  dead?" 

The  dark  eyes  brightened  and  the  color  raB 
red  in  the  smooth  cheeks. 

"No,  worse  luck!  She  has  a  finicky  mind, 
that  woman  has.  What  story  do  you  think  she 
told  me  to-day?" 

"I  haven't  the  slightest  idea." 

"That  before  she  married  my  uncle  she  was 


NJSLLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL.  43 

married  to  another  man,  and  that  she  had  a 
child,  which  was  taken  from  her  at  its  birth,  and 
she  is  determined  to  find  it." 

6 '  What  rot ! ' '  ejaculated  Hortense.  * *  Yon  can 
\certainly  turn  her  from  any  such  an  idea.  Be- 
Asides,  perhaps  the  child  is  dead.  No  telling." 

"I  said  that  to  her  this  afternoon,  but  she  was 
as  stubborn  as  a  mule,  and  said  she  would  never 
be  satisfied  until  she  knew,  and  in  polite  words 
insisted  that  I  should  help  her  find  the  girl,  or 
give  up  my  allowance,  which  I  never  could  do." 

"Of  course  not,"  replied  Hortense,  and  then 
there  was  silence  for  a  few  moments.  At  last 
the  woman  spoke : 

"Have  you  no  way  or  plans  to  find  her?" 

"Yes.  I  know  the  name  of  the  man  she  was 
given  to.  It  is  William  Bedford." 

"What!"  screamed  Hortense. 

She  had  risen  to  her  feet  with  wide,  staring 
eyes.  Her  hands  trembled  and  she  sank  back  in 
her  seat. 

\    ' ( Hortense,  what  is  the  matter  ?   Do  you  know 
himt" 

"Do  I  know  him?  Well,  I  should  think  I  do, 
and  I  know  also  that  the  girl  he  is  passing  off  as 


44  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL,   CLOAK    MODEL. 

his  niece  is  the  lost  daughter  of  your  aunt.  I 
have  never  thought  her  any  relation  to  that 
man." 

Walter  Hilton  rose  to  his  feet.  Here  before 
him  was  the  woman — the  one  being  he  loved— 
who  was  to  unravel  the  mystery  of  the  lost  girl 
who  would  take  from  him  his  right  to  his  aunt's 
wealth. 

"Tell  me,"  he  said  hesitatingly,  "have  you 
seen  the  girl?" 

"Have  I  seen  her?"  muttered  Hortense.  "I 
^work  with  her  every  day.  Her  name  is  Nellie 
Grey,  and  I  have  always  hated  her  since  the  day 
she  came  into  the  store,  and  now  I  know  why." 

"Do  you  mean,  Hortense,  that  this  girl  is 
with  a  man  of  that  name — William  Bedford?" 

Hortense  nodded  and  leaned  expectantly  upon: 
her  hand. 

"If  that  old  woman  finds  out  that  this  girl  is 
her  daughter  you  may  kiss  that  fortune  good- 
bye, for  she  is  a  beauty.  Even  I  hate  her !" 

"Which,  I  am  very  sure,  is  foolish,  my  dear 
Hortense,"  soothed  Walter;  "for  she  could  not, 
if  she  were  as  beautiful  as  an  angel,  hold  a  can- 
dle to  you.  There,  now,  tell  me  all  about  her." 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  ^ 

"She  is  one  of  the  cloak  models  there  at  Fish- 
er's. I  tried  to  keep  her  down  in  the  packing- 
room,  but  old  Fisher,  before  he  died,  insisted 
that  she  be  brought  to  the  model  department, 
and  I  have  hated  her  every  moment  since.  She 
is  beautiful,  and  that  is  why  I  hate  her. ' ' 

Walter  Hilton  eyed  her  strangely,  for  he  had 
never  seen  her  so  affected  before. 

"And  another  thing,"  she  went  on  petulantly, 
"if  you  should  see  her  you  would  in  all  proba- 
bility fall  in  love  with  her,  and  that  would  be 
worse  than  losing  the  fortune. ' ' 

Her  eheeks  were  so  red,  and  the  love-light  so 
strong  in  her  eyes,  that  the  man  leaned  over  and 
kissed  her  passionately. 

"Hortense,  I,  too,  would  rather  lose  that 
money  than  your  love.  I  see  many  beautiful 
women,  but  none  like  you.  We  are  facing  the 
first  tragedy  in  our  lives.  If  I  am  cut  off  with 
a  shilling  I  don't  know  what  will  come  of  me. 
I  only  know  that  I  love  you." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  about  that  girl — • 
give  her  over  to  her  mother?" 

"I  suppose  so,"  he  replied  moodily. 


46          NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL,. 

"Then  you  are  a  greater  fool  than  I  took  you 
for." 

Again  he  leaned  over  and  looked  into  her  face. 
Of  what  was  she  thinking?  He  could  not  tell. 
*He  was  not  yet  old  in  the  ways  of  the  world,  and 
his  love  for  this  one  beautiful  creature  had  kept 
him  from  searching  experience.  But  he  had  not 
dared  to  tell  his  aunt  that  he  loved  the  head- 
woman  in  a  department  store,  however  beauti- 
ful she  might  be,  for  he  knew  that  his  relative 
had  great  thought  of  blue  blood  and  wanted 
him  to  make  a  good  match. 

The  two  were  only  waiting  for  the  aunt  to  die, 
when  Hortense  had  been  promised  that  she 
should  reign  on  Fifth  avenue. 

"You  do  not  mean  that  I  should " 

"I  mean  just  this,"  put  in  Hortense.  "If 
you  give  that  Nellie  into  my  position,  the  one 
I  should  rightly  hold,  and  give  her  a  chance  to 
spend  the  money  you  have  always  expected  to 
have,  then  you  are,  as  I  said,  a  greater  fool  than 
~L  thought  you  to  be." 

"But  I  promised  her " 

'  <  Well,  what  if  you  dMt  Does  that  mean  that 
you  should  keep  your  word'?  Are  you  expected 


NELLJE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  47 

to  find  her  in  twenty  minutes,  the  girl  you 
thought,  and  she  thought,  might  be  dead! ' '  Just 
keep  still,  unless  you  think  it  better  to  put  the 
•  girl  out  of  the  way." 

.Walter  rose  to  his  feet,  and  his  face  whitened. 
^     * '  tWhat  do  you  mean,  Hortense  ? "  he  breathed. 

6 'Only  this,"  and  the  dark  eyes  flashed  with 
spirit,  "Nellie  Grey  would  not  be  the  first  girl 
to  be  gotten  rid  of " 

"Yon  do  not  mean  to  murder  her?"  broke  in 
Hilton. 

"No;  but  there  are  more  ways  than  one  to 
foar  her  from  her  mother's  arms.  Do  you  think 
your  aunt  would  take  an  outcast  from  the 
street?" 

"No." 
;     "Not  even  if  she  were  her  own  daughter?" 

;   "No." 

"Then  make  her  an  outcast,  with  my  help. 
She  is  only  a  girl,  who  loves  that  little  cousin  of 
hers  to  distraction.  I  saw  him  at  the  store  yes- 
terday. With  my  help  she  can  be  made  to  wish! 
she  were  dead,  and  I  hare  an  idea  that  stoe  would 
kill  herself  rather  than  Kve  in  foe  path  we  might 
start  her  ooa." 


48  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  (3LOAK   MODEL. 

The  man  shuddered.  He  was  receiving  his 
first  lessens  in  cruelty  from  the  woman  he  loved 
far  beyond  anything  in  the  world. 

'  i  She  might  not  be  so  easily  led  as  you  think, '  * 
he  said  in  a  hoarse  voice.  "She  is  beautiful, 
you  say,  and  yet  earns  an  honest  living  in  a 
store?" 

"Yes;  but,  like  all  girls,  if  she  lost  that  posi- 
tion, she  would  seek  help  from  some  one. ' ' 

"Is  it  in  your  power  to  send  her  away?" 

"Yes." 

"And  you  will  do  it?" 

"Yes;  because,  as  I  said  before,  I  hate  her 
worse  than  any  living  creature. ' ' 

"And  this  will  not  increase  your  liking  for 
her,"  said  the  man,  with  a  coarse  laugh. 

"I  should  think  not;  and  I  can  safely  say  to 
you  that  you  need  not  worry  about  your  arcnt 
finding  out  about  that  girl,  for  she  shall  be  sent 
far  from  her,  both  in  distance  and  in  position." 

For  a  long  time  they  sat  talking  and  planning 
over  the  future  of  Nellie  Grey.  Hortense  had 
G&mceived  in  her  heart  such  a  bitter  hatred  for 
the  girl  that  she  could  not  think  of  a  plot  bad 
enough  to  vent  fier  anger  upon  her  almost  help-  ^ 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  4C> 

lessv  victim,  for  poor  Nellie  Grey  was  helpless 
just  at  that  time.  The  blizzard  at  that  moment 
was  raging  louder  and  louder,  and  the  rnuch- 
talked-of  girl,  the  beautiful  cloak  model,  was 
making  her  way  home  from  the  hospital  in 
which  lay  the  child  of  her  heart,  the  little  boy 
idel  that  her  loneliness  had  enshrined  in  her 
soul  for  the  past  few  years. 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SOME  four  weeks  after  this,  during  whicH 
time  Nellie  Grey  had  become  the  persecuted  of 
Hortense  Drake,  little  Tom  was  brought  home 
frvm  the  hospital,  but  a  wreck  of  his  former  self. 
He  had  lost  the  bright  red  cheeks,  the  luster  of 
the  eye,  and  the  youth  which  is  ever  on  one  of 
Ms  age.  Nell  thought  he  resembled  a  little  old 
3nan  as  she  took  him  in  her  arms  and  allowed 
iis  head  to  rest  upon  her  shoulder. 

"Tom  is  glad  to  be  back  home,  isn't  he?"  she 
asked,  softly  smoothing  back  the  damp  hair 
from  the  fair  brow. 

"Very  glad,  cousin,"  replied  Tom;  "but 
sorry  for  one  reason.  I  kuow  I  shall  be  such  a 
dreadful  burden  to  you.  And  then,  too,  father 
will  try  to  mate  you  give  him  money  through 
me,  and  you  will,  Nell." 

The  girl  shook  her  head. 


KEL&IE,   THE   BEAWIPUi-  CSjOAK   MODEL.  5£ 

» 

**I  don't  think  he  will  bobber  me  much,"  said 
she^  looking  out  of  the  window  and  not  into  the 
konest  eyes  of  little  Tom.  "You  see,  he  is  rather 
afraid  of  me,  and  I  hold  over  him  the  threat  that 
if  he  is  bad  to  you  and  me,  then  I  will  inform 
'the  police  just  how  wicked  he  is." 

"And  tell  them  that  he  threw  me  down- 
stairs?" inquired  Tom. 

"  Yes, "  nodded  Nell. 

"Then  you  can  keep  your  money,  can't  you, 
Nell!"  went  on  Tom,  delightedly,  "if  he  does 
not  dare  ask  for  it?" 

"I  sha'n't  have  much  to  keep,  darling,"  said 
the  girl,  moodily,  "for  you  know  that  to  pay  the 
board  of  three  people  is  not  a  light  thing.  But 
I  can  work  better  now  that  you  are  home,  and 
you  will  walk  a  little  every  day  upon  your 
<?rutches,  won't  you,  dear?" 

"Yes,  Nelk  if  it  doesn't  hurt  my  back  too 
much.  It  feels  so  good  to  rest  on  a  soft  place 
when  I  hurt  so." 

The  tears  came  into  Nell's  eyes  and  she  kissed 
the  wan  face. 

"Darling,  I  would  not  urge  you  to  walk,  if  it 
hurt  you  so,  only  that  the  doctor  says  you  will 


gO  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODBU. 

never  get  about  if  you  don't  soon  try,  and  I 
know  that  Tom  wants  to  help  NelL" 

This  was  the  only  way  she  could  get  him  to 
try  his  strength — was  to  insist  that  if  he  could 
get  about  they  would  be  able  to  work  together 
during  the  spring. 

It  was  a  delight  to  Nell  the  first  day  that  Tom 
limped  to  the  store  to  come  home  with  her.  It 
had  been  such  a  terrible  few  hours  for  her,  for 
Hortense  had  been  nagging  her  almost  to  dis- 
traction. She  took  Tom  by  the  arm  and  settled 
him  into  a  chair  to  rest  while  she  put  on  her 
wraps. 

Little  did  she  know  that  Hortense  was  plot- 
ting that  night  for  her  to  see  Walter  Hilton,  and 
that  the  plans  were  fully  made  whereby  her  fu- 
ture should  be  wrecked.  She  could  only  get 
through  her  intuitive  power  that  Hortense  hated 
her  more  bitterly  than  ever,  but  why  she  could 
not  conceive. 

"You  will  wait,  Miss  Grey,"  said  the  fore- 
woman. "I  wish  you  to  attend  to  something  for 
me." 

Nellie  inclined  her  head.  She  always  felt  her- 
self so  much  above  this  woman,  who  treated  her 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  53 

so  shamefully,  that  she  could  not  demean  herself- 
fey  answering  back.  She  was  so  tired  that  night 
that  her  head  ^seemed  as  if  it  would  burst,  and 
she  wanted  to  go  home  with  Tom.  But,  of 
course,  she  would  wait  and  see  what  her  supe- 
rior wanted  of  her. 

As  she  stood  waiting  for  her  permission  to 
go,  a  girl  with  smiling  face  and  twinkling  eyes 
came  down  the  stairs  with  a  lot  of  cloaks  on  her 
arm. 

" There  ain't  no  more  of  them  thirty-sixes, 
Miss  Drake,"  she  said  impudently,  throwing  the 
garments  upon  a  chair. 

"You  mean,  miss,"  put  in  the  forewoman, 
shaking  her  beautiful  head  at  the  child,  "that 
there  are  no  more.  I  wish  you  would  improve  in 
your  English." 

"She  knows  so  much  about  it;  let  her  know," 
„  said  the  little  girl  aside  to  Nellie.    "I  wish  she 
had  to  go  up  there  and  get  them  things  out,  then 
'  she'd  think  there  wasn't  any  more." 

"Hush!"  cautioned  Nellie,  in  a  whisper. 
< '  You  will  get  her  wrath  raised  against  you,  too, 
if  you  are  not  careful.  Don't  let  her  hear  you. 
answer  back.  I  was  so  afraid  she  would  dis- 


54          l^EfcLHE,   T*HE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEU 

charge  Ike  to-day,  and  he  does  need  the  work 
so  badly. ' ' 

"But  I'd  as  soon  starve  as  work  for  such  a 
guy,"  mumbled  Polly.  "Now,  if  we  only  had 
you  for  our  forewoman  we  could  get  along  all 
right." 

4 ' There,  dear,  she  is  looking  at  us,"  said  Nell. 

Just  at  that  moment  the  elevator  ascended 
and  an  elderly  lady  alighted.  She  looked  about 
and  then  went  up  to  Hortense. 

"Will  you  send  for  the  little  girl  who  always 
waits  upon  me?  I  think  her  name  is  Grey.  I 
wish  her  to  fit  me  with  a  carriage  cloak." 

"She  is  there,  madam,"  said  Hortense,  but 
she  hated  to  think  that  Nellie  Grey  could  hold 
a  customer  like  the  rich  Mrs.  Horton ;  and  then? 
too,  the  guilty  woman  knew  that  the  two  were 
mother  and  daughter,  and  she  was  ever  fearful 
that  that  fact  would  come  to  light  before  tke  girl 
could  be  gotten  rid  of. 

Mrs.  Horton  tapped  Nellie  upon  the  shoulder 
and  asked  her  to  show  her  a  warm  garment  fit 
for  cold  weafher, 

"I  want  to  wear  it  in.  the  snow,  in  my  car- 
riage," said  she,  and  Nellie,  who  had  hoped  to 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MOBBBk. 

go  home  early,  brightened  a  little,  for  s&e 
always  glad  to  wait  upon  this  loving 
Several  times  Mrs.  Horton  had  asked  her  ques- 
tions, and  she  had  as  willingly  answered1.  As 
she  stood  fitting  a  cloak,  the  older  worn®®. 
was  surprised  by  turning  and  seeing  her  nephew 
standing  beside  her. 

"Why,  Walter,  I  wondered  where  you  had 
been,  I  have  watched  for  you  the  whole  weelc 
Then  I  got  your  note,  and  I  am  glad  that  you 
are  taking  such  an  interest  in  the  matter  that 
now  almost  means  life  and  death  to  me. ' ' 

Walter  stooped  and  kissed  his  aunt  obedient- 
ly, at  the  same  time  raising  his  eyes  and  catch- 
ing those  of  Hortense,  who  allowed  hers  to  drop 
upon  Nellie  Grey  with  a  significant  expression,, 

He  had  not  dared  to  come  before.  It  was  &. 
guilty  conscience  that  had  kept  him  away.  And' 
to  think  that  he  should  just  choose  the  time  that 
his  aunt  was  to  visit  the  store.  But  he  could  not 
show  his  disturbed  state  of  mind. 

"I  have  been  carrying  out  your  bidding,  my 
dear  aunt,"  he  replied,  as  he  looked  sharply  at 
the  beasotiful  cloak  model  and  then  back  again 
at  his  aunt.  Certainly  Hortense  was  right 


gg  N&L3LIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL. 

> 

she  said  that  the  girl  was  beautiful,  and  the 
heart  of  Walter  Hilton  almost  stopped  beating 
when  he  thought  how  near  his  aunt  was  to  dis-^ 
covering  her  own.  But  no  word  of  his  should! 
open  the  secret,  for  he  knew  that  he  would  not 
only  lose  his  independence,  but  Hortense  would 
be  lost  to  him  forever. 

"I  am  satisfied  that  you  should  look  for  my 
little  girl,"  replied  the  aunt;  and  then  she 
turned  to  Nellie  Gray,  and  Walter  went  to  seat 
himself  within  speaking  distance  of  Hortense. 

' '  She  is  beautiful, ' '  he  said  in  an  undertone, 
"very  beautiful.  If  my  aunt  should  for  a  mo- 
meaat  think  that  that  girl  was  her  own  she  would 
make  a  new  will  to-morrow." 

They  were  behind  one  of  the  small  cloak  clos- 
ets whfle  they  were  thus  speaking. 

"I  told  you  that  at  first,"  replied  Horten&e, 
sulkily;  "and  I  will  tell  you  right  now  that 
1  am  not  stuck  upon  hearing  you  call  her  beauti- 
ful. That  she  is,  is  well  enough,  but  from  your 
lips — well,  it  drives  me  crazy,  that  is  all." 

A  cEsturbance  in  the  model  room  brought 
Hortense  to  view,  followed  by  Walter. 

66 What's  the  matter?"  asked  the  forewoman 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL.  57 

of  a  man  bringing  an  armful  of  ©lothes  down 
upon  tlie  floor  with  a  bang.  "I  thought  I  told 
you  to-day  that  if  you  were  careless  any  more 
I  would  discharge  you. ' ' 

i  '  So  you  did,  ma'am, ' '  replied  the  man.  ' ' But 
I've  found  out  that  you  ain't  got  everything 
here  your  own  way,  or  Miss  Nellie  and  I 
wouldn't  be  here  now,  and  you  know  it." 

With  this  he  turned  and  was  about  to  pick  up 
his  burden  again,  when  the  forewoman,  with  a 
terrible  expression  in  her  eyes,  said: 

"See  here,  don't  you  sass  me*  I'm  going  to 
the  superintendent  this  very  night.  Why, 
ma'am" — and  Hortense  turned  to  Mrs.  Horton, 
glad  of  a  chance  to  say  something  detrimental 
to  Nellie — "this  man  is  without  common  sense. 
He  has  been  spoiled  by  Miss  Grey  there,  the 
young  lady  waiting  upon  you.  *  If  she  had  been 
a  true  lady  at  heart  she  would  not  have  noticed 
such  a  fellow." 

The  cloak  dropped  from  Nellie's  fingers.  She 
lifted  her  head  proudly. 

"  I  do  not  deny  that  I  tried  to  be  good  to  Ike, ' ' 
she  said  simply,  "for  he  needed  a  friend,  and  I 


Jjg  NBL&IE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL. 

!kaow  bow  it  seems  to  be  friendless,"  and  the 
tears  gathered  slowly  in  lier  eyes. 

"Mrs.  Horton  does  not  wish  to  hear  y©nr 
troubles/'  replied  Hortense,  "so  please  beep 
silent." 

"You  began  the  discussion,  my  dear  young 
lady,"  replied  the  rich  woman  reprovingly. 
4  '  This  young  model  was  paying  strict  attention 
to  her  business  when  you  attacked  her,  and  she 
had  a  perfect  right  to  speak  up  in  her  own  de- 
fense." 

These  kind  words  swept  over  Nellie's  heart 
like  sun  over  a  snow-frozen  mountain,  waiming 
and  bringing  light  into  a  poor  little  tortured 
heart. 

She  sank  down  upon  the  floor  and  sobbed  out 
her  weariness,  while  no  one  seemed  inclined  to 
try  and  stop  hei*.  Little  Tom  slipped  from  his 
place  behind  a  pile  of  clothing  and  sat  down  be- 
side her.  He  tenderly  placed  his  lips  upon  the 
fingers  covering  the  weeping  eyes.  Nell  peeped 
out  at  him  through  her  tears  and  clasped  him  to 
Aher  heart. 

"If  it  were  not  for  you,  Tom,"  she  cried,  "I 
;would  want  to  die.  You  have  picked  upon  me 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  59. 

every  day  for  five  weeks,"  she  said,  looking  at 
Hartense,  "and  I  cannot  see  the  reason.  I  try 
to  do  my  work  well,  and  you  know  1  cannot  stop 
work  long  enough  to  find  another  position." 

"Well  not  discuss  the  matter  before  the  cus- 
tomer, Miss  Grey,"  said  Hortense,  "but  I  will 
have  it  out  with  you  to-morrow,  or  before  you 
go  away  to-night.  Finish  your  sale,  for  the  lady 
is' waiting." 

Walter  had  seen  this,  and  for  a  moment,  as  he 
»aw  Nellie  weeping  upon  the  floor,  a  touch  of 
'Sympathy  went  through  his  heart  for  her.  But 
frhen  he  thought  what  she  would  do  against  his 
prospects  it  vanished,  and  he  followed  Horten.se 
lo  the  back  of  the  store,  irrespective  of  the  fact 
/hat  his  aunt's  eyes  were  upon  him.  He  would 
£eH  her,  if  she  questioned  him  afterward,  that 
lie  had  followed  the  woman  to  argue  against  her 
Mistreatment  of  the  young  model,  to  whom  he 
^ouW  see  tlrat  Ms  aunt  had  taken  a  strong  liking. 

"You  want  to  be  careful,  Hortense,"  he  said 
\raraingiy.  "Ton  went  a  little  too  far  with  that 
thing  that  time.  You  know  yon  must  Bot  do 
anything  to  arouse  in  my  aunt  a  sympa&y  for 
this  girl," 


$0  NELLIE,   THE   BEAimFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"Do  you  want  to  undertake  the  matter, 
then?"  she  asked  insolently,  looking  into  his 
face  with  a  glitter  in  her  eyes.  * '  You  may  think 
it  an  easy  thing  to  get  along  here  with  that  girl. 
Every  one  in  the  whole  store  loves  her,  even  to 
the  porter ;  he  would  give  his  life  for  her.  And 
that  stupid  little  Polly  actually  waits  upon  the 
girl  morning,  noon  and  night." 

"That's  because  she  is  beautiful,"  replied 
Walter,  meditatively. 

"I  told  you  not  to  say  that  to  me  again,"  re- 
plied the  girl.  "I  cannot  bear  such  words  from 
your  lips.  Are  you  sickening  of  your  bargain 
to  get  rid  of  her?" 

"No,  indeed  not,"  answered  Walter  Hilton, 
looking  upon  his  sweetheart  in  a  new  light.  He 
had  not  imagined  that  she  could  be  so  lacking 
in  womanly  spirit.  He  would  have  liked  a  little 
less  of  the  desire  in  Hortense  to  see  Nellie  Grey 
suffer.  There  was  something  about  the  beauti- 
ful young  cloak  model  that  drew  the  man's  wick- 
ed heart  toward  her,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for 
his  love  for  Hortense  he  would  have  gone  to  his 
aunt  and  made  a  full  confession  and  taken  NelKe 
Orey  into  her  rightful  home.  He  almost  felt 


k  NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK   MODEL.  g^ 

that  such  a  woman  would  make  a  great  change 
in  the  life  of  a  man  like  him.  Hortense  had 
made  in  him  only  a  desire  to  see  the  sporting 
side  of  life.  This  girl,  Nellie  Grey,  had  made 
him  wish  that  he  were  a  better  man  when  he  had 
looked  upon  her  dejected  little  body  upon  the 
floor  and  had  seen  the  small  boy  kiss  away  the 
tears  from  between  her  fingers. 

Then  he  remembered  his  love  for  Hortense. 
Of  course,  there  was  no  other  woman  in  all  the 
world  for  him.  He  would  destroy  Nellie  Grey, 
if  it  were  in  his  power,  and  Hortense  would  live 
to  reign  in  the  Fifth  avenue  home. 

"I  was  only  thinking,"  he  went  on,  as  he  lift- 
ed his  eyes  to  the  dark  ones  resting  upon  him, 
"that  if  my  aunt  should  take  a  liking  to  the 
girl  she  might  be  induced  to  even  take  her  home. 
So  don't  persecute  the  child  before  my  aunt, 
Whatever  you  do." 

"It  is  almost  time  for  you  to  take  hold  of  the 
matter.  I  am  going  to  give  you  a  chance.  I 
have  nearly  driven  her  crazy  this  last  five 
weeks ;  now  you  show  her  what  it  means  to  be 
an — outcast." 


^2  NELLIE,    THB    BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK    MODEL. 

Walter's  eyes  never  left  tfae  beauttMul  face  as 
he  spoke : 

"Horte&se,  I  am  completely  in  your  power. 
But  somehow  I  feel  that  we  neither  of  us  will 
mate  anything  out  of  this  attempt  upon  a  good 
girl's  life  and  name.  I  know  that  I  must  do  it, 
but  with  all  my  soul  I  abhor  the  task.  She  may 
not  be  willing  to  drink,  eve& !" 

"That  is  since  you  have  seen  her/'  said  the 
woman,  threateningly.  "Yesterday  you  could 
not  get  her  out  of  the  way  fast  enough. " 

"Maybe  that  is  the  reason, "  he  replied  sober- 
ly. "I  only  know  that  I  would  almost  rather 
give  up  the  money  than  to  turn  my  own  cousin 
into  the  streets/' 

"Do  as  you  please  about  it,"  replied  Hor- 
tense;  and  then,  when  the  young  man  saw  the 
tears  in  tlie  eyes  of  the  woman  he  loved,  he  drew 
her  to  him  and  brushed  them  away.  Hortense 
had  led  him  to  her  little  private  office. 

"Don't  be  foolish,"  be  said,  softly  kissing  her 

<Lpa€e.    '  *  You  know  that  I  love  you  better  than  all 

t eke  world.    We  have  only  to  get  rid  of  this  girl 

to  have  the  money  we  need.    My  aunt  does  sot 

imagine  that  she  is  her  daughter." 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL,   CLOAK   MODBU  g3 

"  And  she  shall  not  through  me, ' '  replied  Her- 
tense,  gathering  spirit  from  the  kisses  of  her 
lover.  "I  am  sure  that  it  is  no  worse  for  this 
girl  to  go  without  the  money  that  she  has  never 
known  about  than  for  you  and  me  to  lead  a  life 
of  poverty. J  9 

The  nephew  went  back  to  his  aunt,  who  had  in 
the  meantime  petted  Nell  back  into  her  smiling 
self. 

"You  must  not  let  such  women  as  this  fore- 
woman take  away  your  heart,  child, "  said  Mrs. 
Horton;  "for,  you  know,  some  people  cannot 
stand  having  the  slightest  bit  of  authority. ' ' 

"I  shall  try  not  to  lose  my  temper  again;  but 
I  was  so  tired,  and,  then,  everything  seems  to 
have  gone  wrong  lately-'7 

<  <  Why  lately  ? ' '  asked  the  good  woman.  *  *  Are 
you  having  a  worse  time  than  usual  ? ' ' 

Nellie  nodded,  and  a  small  voice  piped  up: 

"Ever  since  I  fell  downstairs  poor  Nell  has 
had  a  dickens  of  a  time.  I  am  all  sfoe  loves,  but 
I  love  her  all  I  can." 

Mrs.  Horton  looked  down  upon  tHe  slight, 
bent  figure  and  into  the  bright,  trusting  eyes. 

"Then  if  Nell  has  got  you  to  love  Eer,"  she 


64          NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

said  slowly,  "she  has  got  much,  for  I  believe 
yon  are  a  very  good  little  boy."  And,  saying 
this,  she  placed  in  his  hand  a  five-dollar  bill, 
which  the  child  clutched  convulsively. 

Then  the  rich  woman  turned  and  took  her 
nephew's  proffered  arm.  and,  with  a  nod  to  Nell 
and  an  order  that  the  coat  be  sent  the  first  thing 
in  the  morning,  she  went  out. 

Then  came  the  first  real  bright  streak  of  sun- 
shine that  had  come  into  the  life  of  the  beautiful 
model  for  many  a  day.  She  was  just  putting  on 
her  wraps  when  she  heard  a  voice  at  her  elbow 
say: 

"Is  it  too  late  for  me  to  get  a  small  cloak  for 
my  sister?" 

Nell  had  seldom  heard  such  rich  tones,  seldom 
had  she  looked  into  such  honest  eyes.  She  could 
not  imagine  a  girl  having  such  a  brother  without 
loving  him  almost  to  death.  She  would,  so  she 
thought,  as  she  brought  out  a  lot  of  cloaks  for 
him  to  see.  Yes,  Nellie  Grey  would  have  shown 
this  young  man  cloaks  all  night  had  he  wished 
to  see  them. 

"Is  your  sister  pretty?"  she  asked  engag- 
ingly. 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  65 

"Yes,  but  not  as  pretty  as  you,"  he  replied 
honestly,  looking  more  at  her  than  at  the  cloak ; 
and  Nell  did  not  feel  that  she  had  received  the 
slightest  insult,  for  his  eyes  were  so  honest  and 
there  was  such  a  true  ring  in  his  tones. 

"We  were  not  talking  about  my  good  looks,'' 
she  replied,  by  way  of  something  to  say. 

"Why,  so  we  weren't,"  he  answered,  giving 
a  hearty  laugh,  "and  I  really  beg  your  pardon. 
I  shall  keep  right  to  business  if  you  will  forgive 
me.  I  have  just  come  to  town,  and  am  sending 
this  coat  to  my  little  sister,  who  is  about  your 
ske." 

"Where  do  you  live?"  asked  Nellie,  forget- 
ting that  she  was  asking  personal  questions. 

"Nowhere  just  at  present.  I  suppose  you 
oould  not  tell  a  fellow  who  does  not  know  New 
York  just  where  he  could  go  to  find  a  home!" 

"You  mean  a  boarding-house? " 

"Yes." 

"Well,  there  is  Mrs.  McTish's,"  replied  Nel- 
lie, "where  we  live :  it  is  not  very  expensive,  but 
I  think  it  will  not  be  good  enough  for  you." 

"What's  good  enough  for  you  is  good  enough 
for  me,"  he  replied,  eyeing  her  admiringly; 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

if  yon  will  give  me  tlje  address  I  will  go 
there  to-night,  and  you  can  send  the  coat  there, 
if  you  will." 

Nell  had  something  to  think  of  oil  her  way 
home  that  night  as  she  walked  along  beside  the 
limping  Tommy,  something  so  new,  so  sweet, 
that  she  wondered  how  she  had  ever  lived  with- 
out it,  and  mixed  with  that  feeling  in  her  heart 
she  could  still  hear  the  deep  tones  and  see  the 
sparkle  of  the  pure  gray  eyes  as  they  had  looked 
into  hers. 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 


CHAPTEK  V. 

had  more  than  troubles  when  she  ar- 
rived at  her  home.  Her  uncle  was  there  before 
them,  and  in  such  a  state  that  both  the  girl  and 
little  Tom  were  frightened. 

Nell  hugged  the  lame  child  up  close  to  her. 

"Be  right  quiet,  honey,"  whispered  she,  "and 
he  won't  know  where  you  are,  and  if  he  should 
go  to  hurt  you  he  will  have  me  to  deal  with." 

Nell  thought  it  better  for  the  sake  of  the  boy 
to  speak  to  her  uncle  first. 

"I  want  money,"  he  replied  to  her  inquiry. 

"Uncle,  you  know  that  I  have  none  to  spare, 
for  all  I  have  will  have  to  go  for  the  board  and 
room." 

"Our  landlady  will  have  to  wait,"  replied  the 
man,  "for  it  has  come  to  a  point  where  I  must 
have  money." 

Xittle  Tom  peeped  out  from  behind  his  cou- 


£J8          NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL. 

sin's  skirts.  The  habit  of  his  father  in  asking" 
Nell  for  money  filled  him  with  chagrin.  It  was 
dreadful  to  listen  to  such  words.  The  child 
could  not  keep  silent. 

"You  have  been  gambling  again/'  he  said* 
boldly.    "Oh,  father,  how  can  you,  when  Nellie 
has  to  work  so  hard?    Must  you  always  try  to 
rob  her  of  her  earnings  1" 

Nell  made  a  motion  to  the  child  beside  her. 

' '  Me  rob  a  girl  1 ' '  ejaculated  the  man.  "  I  am 
only  claiming  my  own." 

"You  have  robbed  her " 

But  before  the  words  could  be  finished  the 
man  had  grasped  the  child  from  Nell's  protec- 
tion and  slapped  the  small  white  ears.  The  cries 
of  Tom  brought  Nell  to  her  senses. 

'  *  Uncle,  stop — stop  quick.  I  will  give  you  five 
dollars,  and  then  go." 

Tom  was  in  her  arms,  and  as  the  money 
changed  hands  Nell  took  the  trembling  boy  to  I 
her  room. 

"You  must  never  enrage  him  again,  little 
boy,"  she  cried,  rocking  him  to  and  fro  in  a 
chair.  "There,  now  rest.  Did  he  hurt  your 
back?" 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK   MODEL* 


frightened  me  so,  Nell,"  said  the  boy, 
catching  his  breath.  "I  thought  he  was  going 
to  throw  me  on  the  floor.  And  he  took  your 
money.  Oh,  Nell,  what  shall  we  do?" 

"  Never  mind,  dear;  I  do  not  think  he  will 
bother  us  again  to-night." 

But  Nell  had  counted  without  her  host.  The 
five  was  so  easily  gained  that  the  fiend  thought 
he  could  get  more.  He  would  keep  his  hold  over 
the  girl  now  and  abuse  the  lame  child,  if  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  get  money. 

And  Nell,  feeling  secure  for  the  time,  descend- 
ed to  dinner,  thankful  that  she  would  not  have 
to  eat  at  the  same  table  with  the  vile  drunkard. 
She  had  not  seen  the  young  man  who  had  pur- 
chased the  coat  of  her  for  his  sister,  and  the  fact 
was  that  he  had  not  been  in  her  mind,  for  she 
had  been  so  worried  over  the  lame  child.  And 
then,  too,  the  loss  of  the  five  dollars  meant  much 
to  the  hard-working  girl.  But  with  Torn  she 
went  to  dinner,  thankful  that  the  incident  had 
not  deepened  into  a  tragedy. 

Just  as  they  were  turning  into  the  dining- 
room  the  outer  door  was  flung  open  and  Bedford 
appeared  again. 


70  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL,   CLOAK    MODEL. 

"Nell,"  he  said  roughly,  "weren't  you 
ashamed  to  give  me  that  measly  little  five  dol- 
lars? I  want  and  must  have  more.  That  an 
educated  man  must  beg  for  money  of  an  un- 
grateful girl  is  indeed  hard.  I  am  hoping  the 
time  will  come  when  you  will  look  upon  your 
treatment  of  me  as  the  most  insulting  thing  of 
which  you  can  think. ' ' 

His  voice  mumbled  over  the  words,  but  he  was 
not  so  drunk  that  he  could  not  choose  his  lan- 
guage, and  little  Tom  slunk  closer  behind  his 
cousin. 

The  man,  seeing  this,  went  on : 

"You  are  getting  that  child  so  he  is  actually 
afraid  of  his  own  father.  Come  cut  here,  you 
little  beast,  and  give  an  account  of  yourself." 

But  Tom  knew  where  he  was  safe,  and  Nell 
eyed  her  uncle  with  rage  shining  from  her  eyes. 

"If  you  lay  your  hands  upon  him  again  I  will 
have  you  arrested,"  she  said  coolly.  "I  have 
no  more  money  for  you,  and  only  regret  that 
you  had  the  first." 

Almost  before  she  ceased  speaking  the  man 
made  a  dart  for  the  pocketbook  in  her  hand; 
did  not  succeed  in  getting  it,  for  Nell  had 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  JJ 

a  helper  who  put  in  his  appearance  just  at  the 
right  moment. 

"I'll  have  it,"  cried  the  man,  but  Jack  Carroll 
bad  him  by  his  strong  right  arm. 

"I  don't  think  you  will,"  he  replied,  sKo-ving 
Bedford  back  against  the  wall.  "  You  will  keep 
your  hands  off  that  girl,  or  you  will  have  to  deal 
with  me." 

"Who  are  you!"  muttered  Bedford,  blinking 
his  drunken  eyes  and  gathering  himself  to- 
gether. 

"Jack  Carroll,  inventor,  at  your  service," 
was  the  answer. 

Tom  was  watching  the  affair  with  admiration. 
He  remembered  having  seen  this  young  man  at 
the  store,  and  heard  Nell  give  him  the  address  of 
their  boarding-house. 

Bedford  took  himself  off  with  curses,  and  it 
was  with  tears  in  her  eyes  that  Nell  thanked  the 
gallant  young  man  for  his  kindness  to  her. 

"That's  all  right,"  he  replied.  "Just  don't 
(mention  it.  I  don't  think  the  fellow  will  bother 
you  again.  Is  he  your  father?" 

"No,  not  mine,"  answered  Nell,  with  a  flush 
dyeing  her  face ; ' ' Tom's. ' ' 


Y2  NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK    MODEL. 

"Qh!  Did  my  sister's  cloak  come?"  asked 
lie,  turning  the  subject  deftly. 

" Not  yet,  but  I  sent  it." 

1     ' '  Say, ' '  said  Jack,  *  *  this  isn  't  half  a  bad  place. 
I'm  so  glad  that  you  told  me  of  it." 

"So  am  I,"  replied  Nell,  "for  more  reasons ( 
than  otie,"  and  Jack  Carroll  knew  what  she 
meant. 

This  little  aid  he  had  given  her  and  the  manly 
manner  he  had  used  in  it  went  straight  to  Nell's 
heart. 

She  had  never  had  many  friends  who  had 
given  her  such  genuine  pleasure  as  had  this 
young  man.  Her  life  had  been  one  long,  hard 
drudge.  Now  there  seemed  more  real  sunshine 
in  it  than  ever  before.  They  were  seated  beside 
each  other  at  the  table,  and  the  small  talk  that 
went  about  went  far  to  relieve  Nell  of  the  ten- 
sion at  her  heart,  left  there  by  her  uncle's 
cruelty. 

For  several  days  Bedford  stayed  clear  of  his 
niece.  He  feared  that  Jack  Carroll  would  carry 
out  his  threat  and  use  a  whip  upon  him  dared 
he  molest  the  girl  again. 

Hortense  also  had  taken  her  mind  from  Nell 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  73 

for  the  present  and  was  thinking  of  a  way  to 
impress  Walter  more  than  ever.  This  after- 
noon, when  they  were  again  almost  ready  to  go,  < 
that  same  young  man  came  in. 

"Aunt  is  worrying  the  life  half  out  of  me," 
he  said  moodily  to  Hortense,  as  she  took  him 
into  her  office,  "and  if  I  don't  produce  evidences 
of  work  done  to  find  that  girl  I'll  find  myself 
without  money.  What  shall  I  do  ?  " 

"You  talk  to  her  to-night  after  we  have  all 
,gone.  I'll  see  that  she  stays,  and  then  you  get 
her  into  your  power  if  you  can.  I  see  no  other 
way  out  of  it.  I  hope  that  she  will  be  discharged 
from  this  store.  I  hate  her  worse  than  ever. 
However,  I  find  I  can't  send  her  away  without 


Walter  grunted  loudly.  He  was  used  to  this 
woman  now  finding  fault  with  his  cousin;  but 
ke,  too,  knew  that  there  was  no  other  way  than 
to  throw  the  girl  on  the  street  at  the  mercy  of 
1tie  world. 

He  remained  in  the  little  office  as  Hortense 
went  out  to  give  her  orders  to  Nell. 

'  *  You  may  stay  to-night,  Miss  Cbey,  '  '  said 


^4  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

forelady,  coldly,  "and  pack  the  cases  which  are 
empty  in  the  lower  room." 

"That  is  not  my  work,"  replied  Nell,  with 
dignity. 

"  Do  it,  or  leave  the  store, ' ?  said  the  other.  * '  It 
is  immaterial  to  me. ' ' 

Nell  stood  looking  at  her  persecutor.  She 
knew  that  she  could  not  afford  to  lose  her  posi- 
tion. How  would  she  care  for  little  Tom? 

"I  will  do  as  you  require,"  she  answered^ 
turning  away  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"You  had  better,"  was  all  that  Hortense  an- 
swered. 

As  Nellie  was  left  alone  her  heart  grew  hot 
within  her.  She  wondered  if  it  would  be  ever 
thus,  that  she  would  have  to  be  treated  so.  Tears 
rained  down  her  cheeks,  and  she  felt  the  insult 
heaped  upon  her,  because  she  knew  that  she 
was  powerless  to  resent  it. 

"It  wasn't  nice  to  leave  me  here  all  alone," 
she  said  to  herself,  as  she  dropped  beside  the 
big  packing-boxes  and  went  rapidly  to  work, 
"and  I  ean*t  see  why  she  picks  me  out  to  insult 
me.  I  haven't  done  anything  to  her.  But  no 
harm  can  come  to  a  girl  when  she  is  with  the 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  75 

watchman  and  janitors.  I  thought  I  heard  a 
sound.  The  girls  have  all  gone/' 

Nell  rose  to  her  feet  hurriedly  and  saw  com- 
ing toward  her  the  young  man  who  had  ad- 
dressed Mrs.  Horton  as  aunt. 

The  girl  inclined  her  head  haughtily. 

"The  store  is  supposed  to  be  closed,  sir/'  she 
said  slowly.  "You  will  have  to  walk  down- 
stairs." 

"I  don't  want  to,  just  yet,"  said  the  fellow. 
"I  came  purposely  to  see  you.  I — I — want  to 
be  your  friend. ' ' 

" My  friend?  I  do  not  want  you  to  be  my 
friend. ' ' 

The  girl  looked  him  squarely  in  the  face. 

"Don't  you  put  your  hand  upon  me,"  she 
screamed,  as  he  made  a  pass  to  place  his  arms 
about  her.  "I'll  call  the  watchman  if  you  do." 

1  *  The  watchman  is  not  here, ' '  coolly  answered 
Walter,  "and  I  assure  you  I  mean  you  no  harm. 
I  simply  want  to  talk  to  you.  Now  be  a  good 
girl." 

With  a  desperate  expression  in  ber  eyes, 
called  these  by  the  condition  of  her  mind  and 
lier  horror  at  being  alone  with  such  a  villain., 


76  NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

the  girl  ran  to  the  window,  and  in  an  instant 
she  was  out  on  the  balcony  which  looked  into 
the  street  below. 

"If  you  follow  me,"  she  called  back  to  Wal- 
ter, who  was  watching  her  wkh  fear-laden  eyes, 
'"I  shall  jump  from  this  place." 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  that,"  he  said,  with  bra- 
vado in  his  tones,  "lam " 

But  he  went  no  farther.  The  girl  raised  her 
arms  above  her  head,  and  if  he  had  not  called 
out  his  desire  for  her  not  to  jump  he  would  have 
witnessed  a  tragedy. 

"I'll  go,"  he  promised,  "and  right  away. 
Only  come  in  from  that  gruesome  place." 

If  there  had  not  been  some  good  in  the  heart 
of  Walter  Hilton  he  would  have  forced  the  girl 
to  her  death,  knowing  that  that  would  have  se- 
cured him  the  fortune  he  was  working  after. 
But  impulsively  he  had  restrained  ker  from  the 
act.  Now,  upon  a  calmer  thought,  he  decided 
that  he  would  not  let  her  off  so  easily,  and,  in- 
stead of  going  away  as  he  promised,  he  went 
into  the  next  room  and  waited  until  Nell  should 
be  back  at  her  work  agaan. 

The  girl  trembled  as  if  she  had  been 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.  ^J 

by  some  great  animal.  She  sank  sobbing  by  the 
cases,  only  to  be  surprised  again  by  the  appear- 
ance of  Walter  Hilton. 

She  turned  to  fly,  but  he  caught  her  in  hi& 
arms.  She  wrenched  away  with  a  scream  which 
brought  two  of  her  most  trusted  friends. 

Polly  and  Ike  were  with  her  almost  instantly  r 
and  before  Walter  could  again  reach  her,  after 
she  had  started  up  the  long  stairs,  a  tremendous 
basket  was  slipped  under  Hilton's  feet  and  the 
merry  little  couple  had  the  villain  fast  en- 
trapped there. 

His  storming  and  shouting  did  no  good,  and 
it  was  only  after  Nell  had  left  the  store  that  Ike 
condescended  to  open  the  lid  of  the  basket  and 
let  its  occupant  escape. 

Poor  little  Nell!  She  could  not  bear  the 
thought  of  living  longer  in  such  a  storm  of  trou- 
ble. It  seemed  as  if  first  one  thing  and  then  an- 
other came  upon  her  without  warning.  Would 
•  the  day  ever  come  when  she  could  straighten  her 
'fQung  shoulders  and  be  happy? 

But  for  little  Tom's  sake  she  would  have  to 
live  and  toil  every  day  the  same  as  the  last.  That 
night,  as  she  was  hurrying  through  the  streets 


78  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

with  thanksgiving  in  her  heart  that  Polly  and 
Ike  had  come  to  her  rescue,  she  felt  that  the  last 
straw  was  laid  upon  her  poor  little  helpless 
back. 

As  she  turned  the  corner  toward  home  she 
saw  two  figures  standing  before  the  boarding- 
house.  Almost  instantly  she  realized  that  they 
were  her  uncle  and  Carroll.  A  flush  mounted  to 
her  face,  for  she  saw  that  the  young  man  was  m 
the  act  of  taking  something  from  his  pocket. 

If  she  had  heard  the  conversation  that  had 
gone  on  before  she  would  have  been  more  than 
embarrassed. 

Bedford  met  the  young  inventor  coming  out 
of  the  door  of  the  boarding-house.  The  fact 
was  that  the  young  fellow  upon  arriving  home 
found  that  Nell  had  not  yet  come  in,  and  he  had 
gone  out  to  meet  her,  when  Bedford  almost  ran 
into  him. 

' '  Beg  pardon, ' '  he  said  with  the  usual  dignity 
that  he  put  on  for  strangers,  "I  believe  you  are 
the  young  man  who  struck  me  the  other  night. 
I  do  not  bear  you  any  ill  will,  although  I  thought 
that,  as  I  was  Nell's  unete,  it  was  my  right  to 
chastise  her  or  my  son." 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  yCJf 

This  was  something  so  strange  that  Jack  Car- 
roll stared  at  the  speaker.  I 

<  '  Well,  you  were  sort  .of  bullying  that  girl, ' ' 
he  at  last  found  words  to  say,  "and  it  seemed 
about  time  for  me  to  put  in  my  say,  too." 

"So  it  was,"  agreed  Bedford.  "But  I  would 
not  have  hurt  her,  for  she  is  like  my  own  child. 
I  love  her  and  the  little  boy,  and  I  do  not  intend 
to  desert  either  one  of  them." 

Jack  stood  first  on  one  foot  and  then  on  the 
other.  This  put  a  different  aspect  upon  the 
matter. 

"Then  I  shall  see  you  once  in  a  while,"  said 
Jack,  having  nothing  else  to  say,  and  wishing 
to  meet  NelPs  uncle  half  way.  "I,  too,  have  a 
room  here." 

"  I  am  glad, f '  was  the  reply. 

Then,  as  Jack  was  about  to  move  away,  Bed- 
ford put  out  his  hand  and  detained  him. 

'  i  Now,  to  show  you  that  I  have  confidence  in 
,  you  and  look  upon  you  as  a  friend,  will  you 
allow  me  ask  you  for  the  loan  of  five  dollars  ? ' ' 

Jack  looked  keenly  at  him,  and  then  he  put 
his  hand  into  his  pocket.  It  was  this  action  that 
had  seen,  and  she  bounded  forward. 


*gO  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

' '  What  are  you  two  talking  about  f ' '  she  cried? 
trying  to  be  cheerful,  so  that  the  young  man 
would  not  notice  her  distress. 

Her  uncle  gave  her  a  sign  to  pass  by  without 
interrupting.  But  she  waited  for  one  of  them 
to  speak,  while  Jack  still  kept  his  hand  in  his 
pocket. 

"I  need  a  little  moneyj  my  dear  child, "  began 
Bedford,  "and  I  have  asked  this  young 
man " 

"You  must  not  give  him  money,"  she  said 
boldly,  looking  at  Jack;  "not  one  cent.  Do  you 
hear?  He  would  only  go  away  and  get  drunk 
upon  it." 

She  looked  straight  into  her  uncle's  eyes  with 
determination. 

"Uncle,  I  should  think  you  would  have  more 
pride  than  to  ask  strangers  for  help.  Sir,  I 
pray  you  will  not  heed  him." 

"I  must  have  it,"  muttered  Bedford,  "and  if 
I  do  not  get  it  to-night " 

"It  will  not  be  from  me,"  replied  Jack  Car- 
roll. "I  believe  the  girl  knows  best." 

Nell  slipped  into  the  house,  and  she  was  still 
peeping  when  Polly  and  Ike  came  in  from  sup- 


NELLIE,    -PHE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL.  gj 

per.  Tiiey,  of  eourse,  thought  that  her  grief 
was  from  her  experiences  at  the  store,  and  both 
sympathized  with  the  girl,  who  had  been  their 
best  friend. 

But  Polly  had  a  real  liking  for  Ike.  She  had 
not  realized  that  he  would  be  so  good  to  her,  but 
since  entering  the  store,  where  Nell  had  gotten 
him  a  position,  the  two  had  become  quite  good 
cronies. 

Little  Tom  was  seated  near  the  fire  when  his 
father  stumbled  in.  Nell  was  not  in  sight  just 
then,  and  the  child  was  about  to  hobble  away, 
when  the  fiend  saw  his  intention  and  grasped  the 
child  by  the  arm.  It  was  only  through  this  tiny, 
misshapen  body  that  the  man  could  get  even 
with  his  niece  for  her  own  refusal  to  give  him 
money,  and  taking  it  from  his  fingers  a  few 
moments  before. 

Tom  cried  out  as  he  saw  his  father's  hand 
raised  above  his  head : 
-     " Father,  father,  please  don't  strike  me 

And  then  came  Nell's  friends  to  aid  her  treas- 
ure, as  they  had  to  her. 

Polly  and  Ike  stepped  in  between  the  scoun- 
drel and  Torn,  and  the  child  scurried  off  to  Nell, 


gO  NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"You  mind  your  business  after  this,"  threat- 
ened Bedford  to  the  pair,  "and  if  you  don't  .I'll 
see  what  will  make  you."  With  this  he  went 
out,  leaving  them  alone  in  the  dining-room,  wait- 
ing for  their  dinner, 

"Say,"  said  Polly,  lightly  sitting  down  on  the 
arm  of  a  chair,  "we  be  doing  the  good  acts  to- 
night. ain't  we?  We  ought  to  go  into  the  life- 
savin'  business." 

Ike  smiled  indulgently  upon  the  girl.  She 
was  such  a  wholesome  little  creature  that  he 
could  love  her  without  much  trouble. 

"Have  you  got  a  mother,  Ike?"  she  asked, 
after  watching  the  fire  blaze  for  a  little  while. 

"Don't  know,"  grumbled  Ike. 

14  Nor  a  father?" 
<     "Don't  know." 

"That's  funny.  Then  your  folks  weren't 
never  around  to  give  you  anything,  wars 


Ike  looked  thoughtfully  at  her. 
*  '  They  gave  me  this  face,  '  '  was  his  reply. 
Polly  smiled  ami  looked  brightly  into  the  up- 
turned eyes  d€  Ike, 

"It's  J$ok  a  very  pretty  face,  Ikey  dear,  but, 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUT-iFUL   CLOAK    MODEL.  §3* 

then,  I  guess  you  took  better  with  that  one  than 
without  any." 

Ike  rose  in  high  offense. 

"I  was  a-gdin*  to  ask  yer  to  share  that 
iace,"  said  he;  "but  if  it  is  so  homely,  then  yer 
wouldn't  want  nothin'  to  do  with  it." 

And  Ike  lef  t  the  room  in  a  dudgeon,  and  Polly, 
toasting  her  little  toes  at  the  fire?  wondered  just 
what  he  meant.  Then  she  suddenly  opened  her 
blue  eyes  very  wide. 

"Why,  I  bet  that  cat's  ear  that  he  was  a-goin' 
to  ask  me  to  marry  him.  By  jiminy,  but  I've 
lost  a  chance  I" 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEU, 


CHAPTER  VL 

AFTER  the  dinner  had  been  cleared  away  that 
evening  it  proved  to  be  one  of  the  momentous 
days  to  Nell.  She  had  hoped  that  she  had  seen 
the  last  of  the  offensive  Walter  and  that  he 
would  leave  her  alone.  But  she  found  that  the 
man  had  gone  to  measures  of  which  she  had 
never  dreamed.  He  had  followed  her  to  her 
boarding-house.  It  was  not  until  then  that  Nell 
really  learned  the  perfidy  of  her  uncle.  She  had 
believed  that  most  of  his  wickedness  came  from 
his  habit  of  drink,  but  she  could  not  harbor  a 
thought  that  he  would  deliberately  ruin  her. 

She  was  alone  in  the  dining-room,  and  after- 

/ward  she  thought  it  had  been  by  prearrange- 

ment  that  Walter  should  come  in  while  she  was 

there.     She  raised  her  eyes  as  he  opened  the 

door,  and,  seeing  who  it  was,  rose  to  her  feet. 

With  the  same  smile  on  his  face  that  Nell  had 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL.  gj 

seen  in  the  early  evening,  he  approached  her 
and  held  out  his  hand.  But  Nell,  with  true  dig- 
nity, spurned  it  and  tried  to  pass  him  by. 

" Don't  be  foolish,"  he  said  slowly,  putting 
himself  directly  in  her  path.  "I  have  something 
to  say  to  you." 

"  You  have  nothing  to  say  that  I  would  care  to 
hear,"  replied  the  girl,  sullenly,  "and  I  would 
ask  you  not  to  bother  me  continually.  I  shall 
call  my  uncle  to  my  aid,  if  need  be." 

"Call  him,"  replied  Hilton,  "and  when  you 
have  told  him  all  he  will  say  that  you  are  a  fool 
not  to  make  friends  with  a  man  who  is  willing 
to  be  such  a  good  friend." 

She  looked  steadily  into  his  eyes,  and  then  a 
sudden  thought  sprang  into  her  mind. 

Bounding  to  the  door,  sh|B  ran  into  Tom. 

"I  heard  loud  words,  Nell,"  said  the  lad; 
"too  loud  for  talking." 

"You  get  out  of  here,  kid,"  said  Hilton.  "I 
want  to  talk  with  your  cousin." 

"My  cousin  does  not  want  to  talk  with  you,"  j, 
answered  Tom.    "Do  you,  Nell?    If  yeu  want 
me  to  go,  I  will." 


f$g  NBLLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

Nell  put  out.  her  hand  faintly.  "No,  n@,  stay 
here.  Don't  go  and  leave  me  with  him." 

"Now  what's  the  use  of  all  this  fuss!"  de- 
manded Walter,  going  nearer  NefL  "We  ttiree 
are  going  to  be  friends,  and  that's  all  there  is 
to  it.  You  are  both  poor,  and  I  can  be  of  such 
help  to  you. ' ' 

He  was  addressing  himself  to  Nell  then,  and 
Tom  was  looking  at  her  expectantly. 

The  little  fellow  was  just  wondering  if  Nell 
was  going  to  refuse  the  friendship  of  Walter, 
when  Bedford  stepped  into  the  dining-room.  He- 
had  upon  his  face  an  expression  which  Nell  did 
not  understand,  as  if  he,  too,  had  been  aware 
that  this  thing  was  coming. 

"I  was  just  telling  your  niece,  Mr.  Bedford, '* 
put  in  Hilton,  "that  I  want  her  to  be  friends 
with  me.  I  am,  as  you  know,  a  very  rich  man, 
and  could  give  her  many  pleasures  in  life." 

He  stopped  here  to  give  Bedford  a  chanee  to 
answer,  which  the  man  did. 

"My  niece  will  be  very  glad,  Mr.  Hilton,  to 
receive  your  friendship,  and  if  she  is  at  all  diffi- 
dent about  aceepifing  it  now  it  is  because  of  her 
natural  modesty.  My  dear  child,  take  hold  of 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL.  gf 

the  gentleman's  offered  hand,  and  be  glad  and 
thankful  that  you  have  such  a  good  friend." 

"I  will  not/'  replied  Nell;  "and,  what  is 
more,  that  man  followed  me  here,  and,  as  you  \ 
are  my  uncle,  I  demand  that  you  protect  me 
now." 

"You  need  no  protection,  my  love,"  purred 
Bedford.  "Mr.  Hilton  is  willing  to  be  your 
friend  and  mine,  to  say  nothing  of  little  Tom's* 
and  I  say  that  you  will  be  a  very  foolish  girl  to 
turn  from  such  a  man.  My  dear  sir,  you  are 
welcome  to  our  home  at  any  time." 

Nell  ejaculated  in  dismay.  Her  uncle  ap- 
peared to  her  in  a  different  manner  than  he  had 
ever  done  before. 

"If  he  will  honor  us  with  his  company,"  went 
oh  Bedford,  "I,  for  one,  will  be  highly  grati- 
fied." 

"That's  not  fair  to  Nell,"  ventured  Tom,  who 
always  seemed  to  be  in  trouble  with  his  father, 

"You  are  not  called  upon  for  your  opinion," 
replied  Bedford,  giving  the  child  a  threatening 
look. 

"If  he  comes  here,  uncle,  expecting  to  see 


THE    BBAUTIPUt,   0&OAK    MODEL. 

he  will  come  in  vain,"  said  Nell,  with  offended 
dignity.  "I  do  not  intend  to  receive  him." 

"We  dine  at  seven,"  put  in  Bedford,  looking 
at  Hilton,  and  paying  no  heed  to  the  girl's  en- 
treaty, "and  yon  will  be  welcome  to  come  any 
day  you  can.  What  do  you  say  about  to-morrow 
night?" 

Hilton  took  the  proffered  hand  of  Nell's  uncle 
and  went  out.  He  had  obtained  all  that  was 
hoped  for  that  night,  and  Nell  was  as  good  as 
in  his  hands.  If  he  could  only  teach  her  to  drink, 
he  would  then  take  her  among  a  class  of  sports 
that  would  soon  put  the  girl  upon  a  path  that 
even  the  lately  sprung  up  love  of  Mrs.  Horton 
would  not  save  her  from.  He  had  no  sooner 
gone  than  Nell  turned  furiously  upon  her  uncle. 

"Have  you  no  shame  in  your  breast?"  she 
asked,  with  tears  springing  into  her  eyes.  "I 
cannot  understand  how  you  could  ask  him  bere, 
when  I  begged  you  not  to.  I  say  again  you  have 
no  shame." 

"I  have  no  money,  either,"  replied  Bedford, 
insultingly,  "and  the  fool  is  rich,  and  it  means 
a  life  of  ease  for  us  all,  now  that  be  has  taken  a 
fancy  to  you." 


NELLrlE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL,   GLOAK    MODEL,.  g€f 

"Do  you  mean,  uncle, "  began  Nell,  going  up 
close  to  him,  "that  you  would  sell  me  to  that 
awful  man  to  gain  money  to  buy  you  drink  1" 

"You  put  it  harshly,  my  love,"  murmured 
Bedford.  "It  is  clothed  in  more  magnificent 
words  when  I  say  that  it  is  in  your  power  to 
become  a  woman  of  position  instead  of  a  cloak 
model.  You  have  no  right  to  keep  from  your 
little  cousin  here  the  money  that  might  again 
straighten  out  his  little  spine." 

Nell  looked  up  startled. 

"There  is  no  hope  for  him,"  she  muttered 
through  her  set  teeth.  "The  doctor  told  me  at 
the  hospital  that  he  would  never  walk." 

"Money  is  a  power,"  commented  Tom's  fath- 
er, looking  down  upon  his  crippled  son  medita- 
tively, "and  it  can  do  much.  What  a  pleasure 
it  would  be  if  you  could  see  the  child  run  and 
play  as  of  old.  I  simply  order  you  to  receive 
this  new-found  friend." 

"And  I  refuse  to  do  it,"  said  Nell,  but  her 
voice  was  not  so  full  of  decision  as  it  had  been  [ 
before,  for  her  uncle  had  sown  a  little  seed  that 
grew  minute  by  minute,     Tom  might  get  his 


90  NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

strength  back  and  have  his  little  spine  straight- 
ened if  she  had  money  to  spend  upon  him. 

"And  when  he  comes,"  went  on  Bedford,  in- 
terrupting her  train  of  thought,  "smile  at  him! 
and  laugh  with  him,  and  all  he  has  is  yours,  for  * 
he  worships  you,  that  is  easy  to  see." 

"I  shall  not  speak  to  him,"  replied  Nell,  this 
time  with  more  spirit,  for  she  knew  enough  of 
the  world  to  understand  that  if  she  obtained 
money  from  Hilton  the  price  would  be  too  dear 
for  her  to  pay. 

"I  will  punish  you,  Nell,"  cried  Bedford, 
jumping  toward  her;  "and,  what  is  worse,  Tom 
shall  suffer." 

"Father,  father,"  wailed  the  lame  child, 
"don't  use  Nell's  love  for  me  to  make  her  do 
what  she  knows  to  be  wrong.  Nell,  to  save  my 
life  I  would  not  have  you  see  that  dreadful 
man." 

"Nor  shall  I,  pet,"  was  the  girl's  brave  reply. 

Bedford,  in  his  rage  at  her  decision,  felled 
little  Tom  to  the  floor  with  his  fist,  and  was 
about  to  strike  Nell  when  Jack  Carroll  came  ^ 
upon  the  scene.    He  gra-sped  the  raving  man  by 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MOBE&  9J 

the  back  of  the  neck  and  forcibly  seated  him 
upon  a  chair. 

"There,"  said  Jack,  coolly,  "you  wiH  please 
keep  your  hands  off  that  girl." 

"She  is  my  niece,  and  I  am  her  uncle," 
stormed  Bedford;  and  the  young  inventor  re- 
plied, as  he  allowed  Nell  to  slip  through  the  door 
with  Tom,  "That  may  be  so,  sir,  and  I  am  her 
friend." 

####### 

The  next  evening^  when  dinner  had  been 
spread  at  the  boarding-house,  and  all  were  at 
the  table  save  the  company  for  whom  Mrs.  Mc- 
Trsh  had  prepared  a  spread,  there  were  two  va- 
cant ,seats,  and  most  of  the  boarders  looked  with 
curiosity  at  the  door  when  it  opened  and  admit- 
ted Jack  Carroll. 

He  seated  himself  by  Nellie,  and  the  girl  felt 
happier  now  that  her  protector  was  there.  As 
a  noise  strange  and  new  to  the  young  man  was 
heard,  he  leaned  over  and  said  to  Nell : 

"What  is  that  noise,  Miss  Grey?" 

N^ll  looked  up  surprised. 

"It  is  an  elevated  train,"  replied  she.  "You 
see,  the  tracks  are  just  there  by  our  window. 


92          NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  GLOAK   MODEU 

Why,  we  could  step  out  and  climb  into  a  train 
without  any  trouble. " 

The  significance  of  the  question  did  not  strike 
either  the  girl  or  the  boy  until  afterward. 

Neither  Nell  nor  Jack  were  listening  to  the 
merriment  which  was  going  on  among  the  other 
boarders.  A  Mrs.  Jones,  who  had  been  in  the 
house  for  several  years,  was  very  deaf,  and  it 
greatly  amused  Polly  and  Ike  to  yell  into  the 
trumpet  which  the  poor  old  lady  held  at  her  ear, 
giving  her  wrong  answers  to  questions  which 
she  would  ask  and  making  her  otherwise  uncom- 
fortable. 

As  the  laughing  went  on  every  one  seemed  to 
have  forgotten  the  company  of  which  Mrs.  Me- 
Tish  had  boasted  before  dinner. 

"We  are  going  to  have  a  millionaire  dine 
with  us  to-night, "  she  had  said,  looking  mis- 
chievously at  Nell,  "and  I  have  a  notion  who  he 
is  coming  to  see." 

So,  during  the  dinner  and  until  the  time  that 
Walter  HHton,  with  Hortense  Drake,  came  into 
the  room,  the  girl  was  really  unhappy.  It  was 
only  the  fact  that  she  had  on  her  right  hand  Jack 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL,          gg 

Carroll  that  eased  her  heart,  and  she  felt  that 
he  would  aid  her  if  she  should  call  upon  him. 

Her  heart  sank  as  she  saw  Hortense,  for  she 
had  no  faith  in  the  woman,  and  somehow  asso- 
ciated her  with  the  coming  of  Walter  Hilton  the 
night  before. 

Mrs.  McTish  showed  her  great  satisfaction  in 
her  newcomers  by  introducing  them  to  the  oth- 
ers at  the  table. 

"  And  we  are  going  to  take  rooms  with  you,  if 
you  will  accommodate  us,"  said  Hortense,  as 
she  waited  for  the  servant  to  make  an  extra 
place  at  the  table  for  her.  "I  have  heard  that 
you  have  excellent  meals." 

Mrs.  McTish  glowered  at  Ike  as  he  muttered 
that  he  had  to  taste  the  first  good  thing  cooked 
in  that  house  save  the  prunes,  and  under  the 
landlady's  breath  she  muttered  back  to  the  Jew 
that  if  he  paid  his  board  more  promptly  he 
would  get  better  things  to  eat. 

There  was  a  little  fun  made  at  the  introduc- 
tion of  Hortense  by  Ike,  for  which  the  woman 
never  forgave  him. 

Mrs.  Jones  could  not  catch  the  name  of  Drake- 
through  her  trumpet,  and  said : 


9*4:          NESJLfcE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL, 

"DM  you  say  Miss  Cake?" 

"No,  Drake,"  put  in  Mrs.  McTish. 

'  *  How  do  yon  do,  Miss  Cake  1 ?  '  persisted  the 
deaf  woman. 

"Tell  her  my  name  is  not  Cake,"  replied  Hor- 
tense,  giving  Ike,  who  was  giggling  behind  his 
hand,  a  terrible  look. 

"The  lady's  name  is  not  Cake,  but  Drake," 
yelled  Polly  into  the  trumpet. 

"Beg  pardon,"  replied  Mrs,  Jones;  "I  just 
caught  it.  How  do  you  do,  Miss  Fake?" 

With  this  Ike  went  into  an  uncontrollable  fit 
of  laughter. 

Hortense  tried  to  silence  him  with  her  eyes, 
but  she  was  getting  the  worst  of  the  bargain. 

She  had  to  be  contented  by  handing  the  deaf 
woman  her  card,  who  promptly  handed  it  back, 
saying: 

"Thanks,  Miss  Fake,  but  I  haven't  got  on  my 
glasses." 

This  also  caused  laughter,  and  Hortense, 
heartily  sorry  that  she  had  come,  ate  in  silence 
the  meager  dinner  set  before  her,  with  her  mind 
on  the  fact  that  she  was  not  here  for  pleasure, 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL.  95 

but  to  help  Walter  get  Nellie  Grey  into  his 
power. 

After  dinner,  Bedford,  with  studied  polite- 
ness, asked  Hortense  and  Walter  to  go  with  him 
to  his  room. 

' ' It  is  humble,"  he  apologized,  "but  you  are 
welcome. " 

He  gave  a  look  to  Nellie,  but  the  girl  did  not 
seem  to  see  it,  and  the  three  went  out  together, 
and  Nell  found  herself  alone  with  Jack  Carroll. 

"I  thank  you  so  much  for  what  you  have  done 
for  me,"  she  said  slowly,  lifting  her  beautiful 
eyes  to  his  face. 

"Why,  Miss  Grey,  I  have  done  nothing,  but 
I  am  so  glad  that  you  look  upon  me  as  your 
friend." 

"I  need  you  for  that,"  replied  Nell,  and  when 
she  had  said  "good  night"  to  the  young  inven- 
tor, and  was  about  to  leave  the  room,  she  was 
surprised  by  Polly  sticking  her  head  inside. 

'*!  heard  the  door  slam.  Has  he  gone?  Oh, 
say,  ain't  he  a  dandy!  Why,  I  could  love  him 
myself.  I  ain't  never  had  no  one  in  love  with 
me  but  the  one-eyed  iceman — I  swear  I  ain't.  I 
would  love  to  have  a  man  just  like  him,  but  not 


9g          NBLUB,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLO&K   MOOEi* 

*K  • ' 

like  that  fellow  up  in  your  rooms.    Q&u  say,  I 
feel  just  like  pinching  Mm." 

This  brought  to  Nell's  mind  the  coming  cross 
1  which  she  had  to  bear  in  the  shape  of  her  uncle 's 
wrath,  and  she  sat  down  with  a  sigh. 

It  was  here  that  Ike  found  her,  still  wi13i  her 
head  in  her  hands. 

"I  can't  go  upstairs  now,  Ike,"  she  said,  in 
answer  to  his  query,  "for  uncle  has  that  man  in 
his  room.  I  will  not  receive  his  insults." 

"It's  about  up  to  me,"  put  in  the  Jew,  "to 
go  there  and  lick  that  fellow.  You  say  the  word. 
Miss  Nellie,  and  I  will  do  it." 

"No,  no,  Ike,"  replied  Nellie;  "don't  do  any- 
thing like  that,  for  it  would  only  get  us  aU  into 
trouble.  I  thank  you,  just  the  same." 

Again  the  beautiful  head  sank  down  upon  her 
hands,  and  Nell  shed  a  few  bitter  tears. 

She  could  not  have  told  how  long  her  time  of 
waiting  was,  but  a  slight  slumber  had  rested 
i  upon  her,  when  the  sound  of  the  opening  door 
aroused  her. 

"I  came  for  you,  my  love,"  said  her  uncle. 
"We  waited  for  you  until  it  seemed  as  if  some- 
thing quite  unnecessary  was  keeping  you." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL   ©LOAK   MODEL.  g*f 


"I  stayed  away  purposely,"  answered 
"because  I  knew  you  had  those  people  there* 
and  I  did  not  want  to  see  them." 

"  You  will  be  friends  with  me,  now  won't  you, 
Mies  Grey!"  pleaded  Hilton.  "I  have  been 
talking  to  your  uncle  about  Tom,  and  he  says 
that  the  surgeons  have  assured  him  that  the 
child  would  get  well  if  he  had  the  money  to 
spend  upon  him.  I  tell  you  that  I  know  so,  too, 
and  if  you  will  just  give  me  your  friendship  I 
will  ask  nothing  more,  and  will  give  yom  all  you 
desire  for  the  child." 

Nell  swayed  backward  and  forward  in  the 
dim  light  of  the  lamp.  The  sparkles  in  her  hair 
and  shadows  in  her  eyes  were  plainly  to  be  seen, 
and  Walter  Hilton  felt  his  heart  beat  a  little 
faster  as  he  watched  her,  and  his  longing  to 
make  himself  indispensable  to  her  was  more 
than  he  could  stand  for  the  moment.  During 
this  thought  Hortense  had  completely  passed 
from  his  mind. 

Nellie  slipped  out  of  the  room  and  was  gone 
from  their  sight  before  they  could  detain  he*. 

4  'She  is  a  little  modest,  you  know,"  excused 
her  uncle,  "and  if  you  will  give  the  girl  time, 


§8  NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

and  not  be  too  dogged  about  it,  she  will 
over  to  you.    But  she  has  a  certain  amouot  of 
spunk. ' * 

"Now  look  here,  Bedford,"  said  Hilton,  tak- 
ing him  aside  and  speaking  in  an  undertone,  so 
that  Hortense  could  not  hear,  "I  am  going  to 
give  you  five  hundred  dollars,  but  I  am  not  go- 
ing to  fool  along  like  this  for  months." 

"Do  you  love  her?"  asked  Bedford. 

"Yes." 

"And  you  really  want  me  to  help  you  v?m 
her?" 

"Yes." 

"You  are  going  to  marry  her?" 

"No."  ' 

"Then,  darn  your  boots,  I  won't— — " 

"Hold  up  there,  old  man!"  cried  BS&nu 
**Here  is  the  money." 

"Then  give  it  to  me  now,"  greedily. 

"No,  not  yet,"  replied  Hilton.    "I  must  see 

Her  alone.    You  go  up  to  her  and  tell  her  that 

1 1  have  gone.    Send  her  here  after  your  hat,  mid 

\  when  she  comes  to  me  and  puts  her  hand  in  mime 

I  will  hand  you  the  money.   Now  go ! " 


JiBLI/IE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL.  C1.0AK   MODEU          99 


CHAPTER  YII. 

WALTER  HILTON  turned  to  Hortense,  who  had 
pretended  to  be  interested  in  something  other 
than  the  conversation  that  had  been  carried  on 
between  the  two  men.  No  sooner  had  the  door 
closed  than  she  jumped  to  her  feet. 

"I  heard  what  you  said,'7  she  began  hurried- 
ly. "'What  are  you  going  to  say  to  the  girl  when 
she  comes  down?" 

Walter  f rowmed* 

"How  do  I  know  what  I  am  going  to  say,  I'd 
like  to  know;  but  what  I  want  you  to  do  is  to 
get  out  of  the  way  for  a  few  moments.  Hark ! 
I  hear  her  coming. " 

Hortense  glided  into  the  small  pantry  which 
led  into  the  kitchen  from  the  dining-room. 

When  Nellie  opened  the  door  she  did  not  at 
first  see  Hilton.  She  had  breathed  a  sigh  of 
relief  when  her  uncle  told  her  the  man  was  gone. 


NELWE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL,  OLOAK  MODEU 

She  hated  Walter  Hilton  as  it  had  never  bees 
her  fate  to  hate  before.  As  her  eyes  became  ac- 
customed to  the  lowered  light  she  saw  his  form 
outlined  against  the  curtain. 

She  already  had  the  hat,  for  which  she  had 
been  sent,  in  her  fingers.  As  she  realized  that 
she  had  been  tricked,  she  threw  out  her  hands 
imploringly  as  Hilton  came  between  her  and  the 
door. 

" Don't  scream, "  said  the  man  softly,  looking 
deep  into  her  eyes.  "I  am  locking  the  door—* 
see^ — and  no  one  will  hear  you." 

Every  word  he  uttered  burned  into  her  brain, 
She  knew  not  what  was  coming,  and  without 
warning  to  herself  or  to  him  her  senses  left  her 
and  she  fell  in  a  heap  at  his  feet. 

"My  God,  she  has  fainted  I"  he  cried,  and  his 
words  reached  the  ears  of  Hortense,  who  came 
x  &gain  to  his  side. 

Just  then  a  sound  thundered  through  the 
room. 

"The  elevated  train,"  said  Walter.  "But 
why  are  you  standing  there  as  if  you  were  help- 
less? Aid  me  to  lift  her  up,  or  some  one  will 
come  before  we  can  bring  her  to." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL.        £QJ 

Still  Hortense  listened,  an  expression  of  ha- 
tred coming  into  her  face.  •"  : 

"If  you  want  to  rid  yourself  of  her,  throw/ 
her  out  of  that  window  upon  the  tracks.    There 
is  a  train  coming.    Your  aunt's  fortune  will  be 
yours. " 

Hilton  stood  as  one  paralyzed,  looking  stead- 
ily into  Hortense  's  face. 

"  'Twould  be  too  fiendish,  wouldn't  it?"  he 
asked,  slowly  bracing  the  limp  head  of  Nell  upon 
his  arm. 

"  There  will  never  be  another  such  good 
chance.  Do  you  hear  that  train?  How  near  it 
comes!  Now,  before  another  passes,  put  her 
upon  the  tracks." 

Hilton  gathered  the  fainting  girl  in  his  arms. 

"I'll  do  it,"  said  he,  with  decision.  "And 
may  God  forgive  me." 

The  window  was  thrown  up,  and  far  down  the 
tracks,  as  Hortense  looked,  she  could  discern  the 
headlight  of  another  engine. 

"Make  haste,"  murmured  she,  the  magnitude 
of  their  crime  lowering  her  voice.  "There,  lay 
her  a  little  farther  out." 

Walter  Hilton's  face  will  not  be  whiter  when 


102        NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   GLOAK    MODEL. 

lie  is  Sead  titan  it  was  at  that  moment  as  he 
drojbpeli^H^  long,  black  track  and 

stepped  back  into  the  room  beside  Hortease. 

But  the  man  and  woman  had  not  counted  upon 
any  one  hearing  them.  Ike,  with  the  propensity 
of  his  race,  was  eager  to  know  what  was  going 
on  in  the  room  into  which  Nell  had  disappeared, 
and,  placing  his  ear  to  the  keyhole,  heard  a  few 
words  of  the  conversation. 

In  an  instant  he  was  up  to  the  garret  chamber 
of  Jack  Carroll,  and  in  an  excited  manner  told 
the  young  man  what  was  happening. 

Jack,  with  a  grim  smile,  handed  the  Jew  a  re- 
volver, telling  him  that  he  might  need  it,  and 
together  they  sprang  down  the  long  stairs. 

It  took  them  but  a  moment  to  break  open  the 
door,  and  they  faced  the  would-be  murderers, 
Ike  covering  Walter  with  his  weapon. 

Just  then  the  heavy  sound  of  the  train  came 
to  their  ears,  and  Nell  screamed  out  her  terror 
as  she  regained  her  senses  and  realized  where 
she  was.  j 

"Help,  help!"  ske  cried,  and  Ike  pointed  to 
the  window,  while  Jack  bounded  toward  it. 

"You  sha'n't  open  that,"  said  Hor tense,  real- 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MOBEL. 

izing  what  it  meant  to  her  and  Walter  if  they 
were  discovered  in  their  plot  to  murder.  But 
Jack  threw  her  aside,  and  before  the  great  train 
had  killed  the  beautiful  cloak  model  he  had 
snatched  her  from  the  track. 

Then  Walter  and  Hortense,  seeing  that  it  was, 
all  up  with  them,  broke  into  a  run  and  escaped 
from  the  house,  where  there  was  general  rejoic- 
ing that  Nell  had  been  saved.  Just  how  she  got 
to  the  track  was  a  puzzle,  for  no  one  believed 
that  there  could  be  a  human  heart  so  vile  as 
to  make  away  with  a  beautiful  girl  like  Nellie 
Grey,  and  the  uncle  had  strengthened  this  belief 
by  saying  that  Hilton  had  asked  his  niece's  hand 
in  marriage. 

But  that  night,  after  they  had  all  gone  to  bed, 
Bedford  questioned  himself. 

"I  verily  believe  that  that  fellow  tried  to  kill 
Nell.  Now  what  for?  No  man  ever  wanted  to 
lose  ihe  girl  he  loved,  and  that  was  what  he  told 
me — that  he  loved  her." 

But,  as  he  could  not  solve  the  proposition,  he 
went  to  sleepj  determined  to  seek  out  the  young 
millionaire — as  he  thought  Hilton  was — and  ask 
him  about  it. 


NBLUB,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  8LOAK   MODEL,. 

The  next  day,  when  Nell  went  to  the  store,  her] 
heart  was  beating  so  frantically  that  she  thought 
she  would  faint.  She  dreaded  to  meet  the  f ore- 
woman,  for  Jack  had  told  her  that  Hortense  was 
in  the  room  when  he  first  broke  open  the  door 
the  night  before. 

However,  Hortense  did  not  seem  to  notice  her 
as  she  entered,  and  she  was  glad  to  sink  behind 
the  closet  door  where  she  hung  up  her  wraps. 
When  she  again  appeared  Hortense  was  await- 
ing her. 

"Miss  Grey,"  said  the  forewoman,  "you  are 
changed  from  the  salesroom  to  this,  and  you 
will  henceforth  pack  the  cases." 

Nellie  looked  up  with  a  dangerous  expression 
in  her  eyes.     She  did  not  want  to  reply,  but' 
Hortense  evidently  expected  that  she  would. 

"May  I  ask  your  reason  for  changing  me!" 
she  gasped. 

Polly  and  Ike,  who  had  heard  the  conversa- 
tion, stopped  their  work  and  listened. 

"It's  a  shame  to  put  a  nice  little  girl  like  Nel- 
lie down  here  in  this  place,"  said  Polly,  "and 
I  know  just  what  she's  doing  it  for,  the  jealous 
old  cat." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.        JQ5 

*'Yom   attend   to  your   own  business.   Miss 
iPolly,"  commanded  Hortense,  "if  you  want  2c 
keep  your  position  after  Saturday  night. ' ' 

Hortense  had  decided  to  carry  things  with  a 
high  hand,  knowing  that  if  she  showed  her  fear 
Nell  would  realize  that  she  had  been  implicated 
in  the  terrible  deed  of  the  night  before. 

4 'I'd  rather  not  stay  here,"  replied  Poll,  pout- 
ing. "I'd  just  as  soon  starve  as  to  work  for 
you." 

She  gathered  up  an  armful  of  clothes  and 
staggered  under  the  load  to  the  steps.  Ike  re- 
mained behind,  laughing  at  the  scene  until  he 
tumbled  off  the  chair  upon  which  he  was  seated. 

"You're  laughing  at  me?"  asked  Hortense, 
seeing  that  she  was  getting  the  worst  of  it  all 
the  way  around. 

<*No,  ma  'am,  oh,  no,  ma  'am, ' '  giggled  Ike.  ' '  I 
6  T0»s  a-laughing  at  your  false  hair  coming  off." 

Hortense  put  up  her  hand  and  just  caugbt  her 
switch  as  it  tumbled  toward  the  floor. 

ISfoe  swung  around  and  was  about  to  go,  when 
Jier  eyes  fell  upon  Nell. 

see  what  Mud  of  friends  you  haTe/*» 

'      I 


106        NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL, 

she  said  in  a  deadly  tone,  coining  near  the  girl., 
v  * '  I  should  be  ashamed  if  I  were  you. ' ' 

1  'I  am  ashamed,"  said  Nell,  rising,  tier  eyes  * 
flashing  fire,  "to  be  connected  with  such  a  worn-.' 
an  as  you  are.    Ever  since  I  have  been  in  this 
store  you  have  mistreated  me,  until  I  don't 
know,  sometimes,  what  to  do." 

Here  Hortense  broke  in  with  a  laugh,  and 
said: 

1 i  Why  don 't  you  do  what  you  want  to?  Leave 
here — I  don't  care." 

She  turned  away  again,  but  Nell  sprang  to 
her  side. 

"You  will,  after  this,  leave  me  alone,"  she 
said,  cowing  the  forewoman  with  her  expres- 
sion; "for  you  have  evidently  forgotten  that  it 
is  in  my  power  to  drag  you  to  prison." 

"Me?"  ejaculated  Hortense. 

"Yes,  you!    You  and  that  man  tried  to  have 

me  ground  to  death  on  those  tracks,  and  I  know 

not  for  what  reason;  but  if  you  ever  cross  my 

path  again,  as  you  have,  I  shall  tell  my  story  to 

I  the  polioa." 

She  dropped  by  her  case  and  went  to  work, 
and  Hortense,  frightened  at  the  intensity  of  the 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

girl,  spoke  not  another  word,  but  went  into  her 
office. 

"I  was  afraid  she  would  do  that/'  cried  Hor- 
tense.    "We  must  be  careful." 
I     Immediately  she  called  Hilton  on  the  'phone, 
'telling  him  enough  of  the  conversation  to  well 
scare  him. 

He  came  over  immediately. 

Hortense  invited  him  to  her  private  office. 

"She  threatened  to  tell  the  police,"  said  the 
woman,  slowly. 

"Oh,  I  don't  believe  she  will,"  replied  Wal- 
ter. "You  see,  her  uncle  is  in  my  pay,  and  I 
know  right  well  he  can  keep  her  quiet.  The  lit- 
tle fool  would  sell  her  soul  for  that  lame  brat. '  ' 

"She  wouldn't  sell  it  to  you,  would  she?" 
drily  put  in  Hortense;  "and  you  tried  pretty 
hard  to  buy  it,  didn't  you?" 

"Don't  be  nasty,  Hortense,  and  don't  drive 
that  girl  too  far.    It  was  not  sensible  for  you 
to  say  anything  to  her  that  might  drive  her  to 
\the  police." 

"But  I  hate  her  so,"  complained  Hortense, 
"and  some  day  I  shall  be  aMe  to  have  my  sweet 
revenge." 


NELLIE,    THE  >  BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL. 

Walter  looked  at  her  doubtfully. 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  he.  "She 
seems  to  have  a  lot  of  friends  that  are  always 
bobbing  up  to  aid  her.  At  any  rate,  trump  up 
some  story  that  won't  be  laid  at  your  door  and 
have  her  sent  away." 

As  he  rose  to  go,  Hortense  laid  her  hand  on 
his  arm. 

"Promise  me  you  won't  marry  her.  Some- 
how I  fear  that  you  will  be  driven  to  that  to  save 
the  money." 

'  *  Not  if  I  can  help  it, ' '  replied  Hilton.  ' '  But 
you  know  that  if  she  is  discovered,  then  I  would 
have  to  get  hold  of  the  money  for  us.  I'd  make 
her  about  the  most  unhappy  wife  that  lives  in 
New  York  if  I  were  driven  to  it." 

This  comforted  Hortense. 

"If  she  were  in  any  way  disgraced,"  went  on 
Walter,  thoughtfully,  "it  would  answer  almost 
as  well  as  her  death,  for  her  mother  would  not 
leave  her  money  to  a  girl  who  had  disgraced 
her." 

"Then  you  go  over  to  her  uncle,  if  you  can 
find  him,  and  warn  him  of  her  threat.  |We  will 
bring  her  to  terms." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

Acting  upon  this  advice,  Hilton  went  to  Bed- 
ford's  home,  and  was  fortunate  enough  to  find 
him  in  his  room.  Hilton  took  from  his  pocket 
a  cigar  and  handed  it  to  Bedford. 

4 '  The  girl  has  threatened  to  send  us  into  the 
hands  of  the  police,"  said  the  rich  man,  as  he 
sank  down  upon  the  chair  offered  him,  "and 
there  is  one  thing  certain :  if  she  does  that,  we  're 
ail  lost. " 

"Did  you  put  her  on  the  tracks,  Hilton? " 
asked  Nell's  uncle,  looking  keenly  at  the  man. 

"I  did  not  come  here  to  discuss  that,"  replied 
Hilton.  "If  you  want  money,  and  lots  of  it, 
thea  I  must  in  some  way  get  that  girl  into  my 
hands." 

"I  am  of  the  opinion,  Mr.  Hilton,"  went  on 
Bedford,  iu  his  suave  manner,  "that  my  niece 
stands  in  your  light  somewhat.  I  thought  at 
first  that  it  might  be  you  really  loved  her.  I 
have,  since  that  track  incident,  changed  my 
mine!." 

"Never  mind  your  changes,"  replied  Hilton. 
"As  I  said  before,  if  you  want  money,  it  is  with- 
in your  hand  by  saying  the  word. ' ' 
i     "A  man  hates  to  put  his  own  flesh  and  blood 


NE1AJE,   THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

the  jaws  of  death/'  remarked  Bedford, 
flicking  a  few  ashes  from  his  cigar. 

""Bah I  I'm  not  going  to  hurt  her,  and,  be- 
sides, what  do  you  care  ?  She  is  really  nothing 
to  ycu,  and  you  know  it ;  for,  whatever  you  say, 
you  do  not  know  the  mother  of  that  child  or  her 
parents. ? ' 

Bedford  raised  hds  eyes  and  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"I  see,  then,  that  you  do,"  said  he,  loftily. 
"Well,  Mr.  Hilton,  this  matter  has  taken  on  a 
different  aspect.  To  give  my  niece  into  your 
hands  I  want  more  than  five  hundred  dollar, 
and  if  you  do  not  promise  me  five  thousand,  then 
I  shall  lodge  a  complaint  against  you." 

"You  scamp!"  cried  Hilton,  but  Bedford 
wav/ed  him  to  his  seat  again. 

"You  see,  my  dear  sir,  you  are  relying  upon 
me  to  help  you  in  a  matter  blindly.  I  do  not  ask 
you  what  it  is  about,  but  neither  do  I  promise 
you  that  I  will  not  hunt  out  Ore  reason,  if  I  can. 
<You  are  not  playing  a  game  with  a  man  who 
'  does  not  understand  the  value  of  money.  I  agree 
to  help  you  with  my  niece,  but  not  until  you 
have  pTomie^d  to  give  me  the  amount  I  desire* ' ' 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  GLOAK   MODEL. 

There  was  nothing  for  the  villain  Hilton  to 
do  but  to  accede  to  the  other  man's  wishes,  and, 
wfeat  was  worse  to  his  pride,  he  had  to  give  Bed- 
ford one  hundred  dollars  then  and  there. 

The  man  said  that  he  would  immediately  go 
to  his  niece. 

When  Bedford  arrived  at  Fisher's  he  was  in 
very  good  spirits.  He  did  not  see  his  little,  lame 
son  sitting  on  a  box,  waiting  to  see  Nell,  nor 
was  he  there  in  time  to  hear  the  conversation 
between  the  lame  child  and  Polly. 

"You  want  to  see  Nell,  Tom?"  asked  Polly, 
as  he  limped  in. 

"Yes,  if  you  please. " 

"She's  down  in  the  storeroom  now,"  replied 
Polly,  looking  at  the  boy  to  see  how  he  would 
take  such  a  piece  of  intelligence. 

"Why  is  she  there?"  asked  Tom. 

"  "Cause  the  old  cat  won't  let  her  stay  up- 
stairs and  sell  any  more." 

"Does  she  have  to  stay  down  there  aM  tke 
time?" 

Polly  nodded  her  head.  The  girl  had  become 
wonderfully  attached  to  this  crippled  child. 


NELfcliE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  ©LOAK   MODEL,, 

"And  has  had  five  dollars  took  off  her 
went  on  Polly. 

"But  she  ean't  get  along  on  less  than  she  has 
BOW/'  replied  Tom.    "It  takes  all  she  makes  to  | 
pay  our  board,  as  it  is." 

"Tour  father  ought  to  go  to  work,"  said 
Polly.  "Poor  little  Nellie,  she  gets  thinner  and 
thinner  every  day — that's  what  she  does.  And 
supporting  that  great,  lazy  man!" 

Tom  looked  up  eagerly,  with  a  frightened  ex- 
pression upon  his  face. 

"Do  you  think  she  is  gettin'  thinner?  I 
thought  so,  too.  I'll  make  my  father  go  to  work 
— that's  what  I  will.  He  shall  go,  or  I  will  tell 
that  I  wouldn't  be  this  way " 

Here  the  child  choked  back  his  sobs.  He  had 
grown  into  a  little  man  during  the  test  awful 
weeks  of  suffering. 

"You'll  tell  that  he  threw  you  downstairs, 
ehl"  said  Polly,  part  in  a  question  and  part  in 
a  statement.  "I  knew  all  the  time  he  did,  al- 
though Nell  wanted  to  keep  it  so  bad." 

"No,  I  didn't  say  he  did  throw  me  down," 
replied  Tom.  "And  what  if  he  did?  If  it  was 
so  bad,  then  why  did  God  let  him  do  it?  He 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MG3BGE&, 


eould  have  made  him  let  me  alone, 
He?" 

Pally  went  nearer  and  placed  her  arms 
the  boy's  neck,  while  he  spoke  again: 

"I  just  wish  I  had  died  —  that's  what 
and  every  day  I  pray  that  God  will  tafee  me  to> 
nay  mother." 

Polly  dropped  her  hands  from  the  boyfe 
shoulders,  and  a  tear  was  wiped  furtively  away 
by  a  dirty  little  sleeve. 

"Don't  talk  that  way,  Tom,"  said  she,  "for 
if  anything  should  happen  to  you  it  would  put  tt& 
all  on  the  bum." 

They  were  just  here  when  Polly  looked  up  ancl 
saw  Bedford  sauntering  along  and  looking; 
about  for  Nell. 

Then  he  spied  his  son. 

"So  you've  come  to  see  our  darling  NeT. 
too?"  asked  the  man,  gnawing  at  the  end  of  Ms; 
cigar.    "How  do  you  feel,  Tom?" 

"How  do  you  think  I  feel?"  answered 
crossly.    '  'The  world  is  all  very  pleasant  i 
but  what  do  you  think  it  is  for  me  ?  " 
i    "Well,   little   Tom,"   mocked  Bedford,, 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

xeally  don't  think  that  I  have  thought  of  it 
much.  But  what  made  you  think  of  that  ? ' ' 

"  Because  Nellie  has  gone  into  the  storeroom 
to  work  again.  And  I  am  heaut-broken  because 
she's  sick  and  gettin'  pale  and  thin  every  day. 
Father,  why  don't  you  go  to  work?" 

"You  must  remember,  my  son,"  returned 
Bedford,  evidently  unruffled  by  his  son's  tone, 
**that  you  are  speaking  to  your  father." 

^I*m  not  forgetting  that,  sir,"  answered  the 
Boy.  "Any  fellow  ain't  got  so  much  to  remem- 
t>er  their  father  by  ae  I  have.  I  wouldn't  have 
Hiis  broken  bone  and  bent  back  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  you." 

"Hush!"  put  in  Bedford;  "some  one  will 
Ihear.  And  then,  my  son,  you  need  not  feel  badly 
;about  your  cousin,  for,  if  she  is  a  good  girl,  bet- 
ter times  will  come  to  us  all.  You  know  that 
this  Mr.  Hilton  is  a  very  rich  man,  and  he  is  in 
love  with  Nellie." 

* '  Does  he  want  to  marry  Nell  ? ' '  asked  the  boy 
suspiciously. 

"He  is  fond  of  her,"  was  the  evasive  reply. 

"But  does  he  want  to  marry  her?"  persisted 
the  child. 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAWIFUL  OLOAK   MODEL. 


here,  95om,  w  said  his  fatter,  going  up 
lo  him  fiercely,  having  lost  all  Ms  suavity, 
*^f  you  are  going  to  set  yowself  against  me  and 
Nell  ?s  best  good,  111  give  yon  more  to  remember 
me  by.  Do  yon  hear!*7 

*  •  "I  hear,  father/'  answered  Tom  ;  "but  I  ain't 
going  to  promise  to  make  Nell  have  anything  to 
do  with  that  man,  for  she  hates  him  —  that's 
what  she  does." 

Bedford  lifted  his  fist  and,  with  a  Irasty  looK 
about,  brought  i±  down  upon  Tom's  slender 
back,  and  the  child  dropped  to  the  floor  a«  if  he 
were  dead,  while  his  father  went  cm  his  way 
looking  Bar  Nell. 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL*  CLOAK   MODEL., 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

TOM  had  not  lost  his  senses,  but  the  fall  hacl 
disabled  him  so  that  he  could  not  move.  Theny 
too,  he  could  not  walk  without  his  crutches,  and 
they  had  been  flung  far  from  him  as  he  fell. 

Hortense  came  in  and  saw  him  lying  upon  the 
floor,  Polly  having  gone  out  during  Tom's  con- 
versation with  his  father. 

"What  are  you  doing  there  on  the  floor?'5 
asked  Hortense. 

"I  fell  and  hurt  myself.  Will  you  help  me 
up?"  sobbed  Tom. 

In  an  instant  there  came  into  the  mind  of  Hor- 
tense the  thought  that  she  could  get  even  with 
;  Nell  for  all  the  girl  had  done  to  her. 

So  she  touched  the  boy  with  her  feet,  and 
cried : 

'  '  Help  you  ?  I  help  you  ?  Get  up  from  ther e3 
do  you  hear?" 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  6LOAK   MODEL, 

I  can't,  I  really  can't  without  my  crutches. 
't  you  please  give  them  to  me  f ' ' 

Just  as  the  woman  was  about  to  put  her  foot 
upon  him  again,  Nell  stepped  into  the  apartment 
with  a  bundle  of  cloaks  upon  her  arm.     She 
caught  at  a  glance  what  was  going  on,  and  feried' 
out,  as  she  dropped  her  burden : 

" Touch  that  child  if  you  dare!" 

Nell  had  the  boy  in  her  arms  and  was  sobbing 
over  him.  He  was  always  to  be  the  one  thing 
through  which  her  tender  heart  would  suffer. 

As  she  brushed  off  his  clothing  and  kissed  his 
tear-stained  face,  she  heard  Hortense  say : 

"Then  keep  the  beggar  in  his  place.  He  has 
no  business  here.  He  belongs  to  a  dime  mu- 
Beuin — ]this  is  no  place  for  freaks/' 

With  her  arms  still  about  the  child,  Nell 
looked  her  fully  in  the  face. 

"I  have  never  realized  that  a  woman  could  be 
as  bad  as  you  are,"  said  she.  "I  believe  any 
one  who  would  treat  a  little  child  as  you  have 
this  one  would  commit  any  crime." 

4  i  Your  opinion  is  nothing  to  me,  Miiss  Grey, 
and  I  might  as  well  tell  you  that  you  have  al- 


NELL.EB,    THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL. 

ready  tost  enough  time  from  your  work.  60 
back  to  it." 

'  *  When  I  have  put  my  little  cousin  in  a  safe 
place  I  will  come  back/'  and  Nell  raised  her 
eyes  to  Hortense  defiantly. 

<4I  can  go  alone,  Nell,"  said  the  lame  boy. 
"Now  don't  get  in  trouble  with  the  old  cat,"  he 
whispered  in  a  low  tone.  "  Just  you  let  me  hob- 
ble along  alone," 

And  as  Nellie  saw  him,  with  his  brave,  pale 
little  face,  limping  away,  her  eyes  filled  with 
tears  and  her  heart  sank  within  her.  Tom  was 
growing  more  sick  and  thinner  every  day,  and 
his  small,  white  ears  were  quite  transparent, 
Nellie  could  see  this,  and  her  heart  burned  with- 
in her. 

But  for  one  thing  she  had  to  be  thankful.  She 
dared  not  go  with  Tom,  as  she  knew  that  Hor- 
tense would  complain  of  her.  And  when  she 
saw  Polly — good,  noble  little  Polly — come  to 
Tom's  reseue,  she  felt  like  taking  the  girl  in  her 
i  arms  and  kissing  her  homely  face. 

"I'll  take  yon,  Tom,"  Nellie  heard  her  say; 
and,  as  she  expected,  Hoi-tense  tried  to  stop  this 
g&&&  deed. 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"You'll  stay  at  your  work/'  put  in  the  fere- 
Tvoman  to  Polly.  "I  have  never  seen  sueh  a  set-: 
of  people  as  you  are — ready  to  cheat  your  em- 
ployer out  of  his  time  which  he  honestly  pay^ 
you  for.  Shame,  shame,  I  say ! 9 ' 

4 '  And  I  say  shame  to  you,  you  awful  woman, J  * 
replied  Nell.  "And  I  know  that  if  Mr.  Nelson 
knew,  he  would  be  glad  for  us  all  to  be  kind  to 
that  poor  little  child. 

"Better  go  and  ask  him,"  sneered  Hortensei. 

Tom  having  disappeared,  Nell  turned  upon 
the  woman,  her  eyes  speaking  a  volume,  but  her 
lips  remained  sealed. 

"You  might  as  well  tell  me  what  you  are 
thinking  of,"  said  Hortense,  for  now  she  felt 
free  to  nag  the  girl,  for  had  not  Walter  prom- 
ised to  make  Nell  keep  her  mouth  shut  tbrovgfc 
the  aid  of  her  uncle  ? 

'  *It  might  be  well  for  you  if  I  were  to  tell  you,, 
and  warn  you,"  said  Nell. 

"Out  with  it,  then,"  and  Hortense  went  a 
little  closer. 

"I  was  wondering" — and  Nell  lowered  heir 
voice  into  intensity — "  ju&t  how  long  I 


KEELLfcE,   TBE   BEAWTrFUL  OLOAK   MODEL. 

fefc  you  go  in  this  thing.    I  was  also  wondering" 
Ib0w  muah  of  it  I  could  stand. ' ' 

**As  much  as  I  wish  you  to  stand,"  said  Hor- 
fensa,  viciously. 

"So  I  thought  at  first,"  said  Nell,  "but  I 

have  changed  my  mind.    I  will  stand  no  more." 

*' Yourll  go  back  to  your  work  at  once;"  cried 

Ufaztense,  afraid  of  the  expression  in  NelPs 

Ifaee. 

But  Nell  seemed  not  to  hear  the  order,  for 
licr  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  door  through  which 
*f®m.  had  passed. 

"To  provide  food  and  comfort  for  him,"  said 
>sfae,  with  a  break  in  her  voice,  "I  would  do  al- 
anything  in  the  shape  of  honest  work;  but 
w>t  be  your  slave,  nor  will  I  stand  insults. 
Ton  k&ow  that  I  am  the  best  saleswoman  you 
%ftve  in  this  place,  and  yet  you  degrade  me  to 
ifeat  work  there/5  and  Nell  waved  her  hand  to- 
the  pile  of  cloaks  upon  the  floor.  "  Every 
some  of  my  good  customers  request  that  I 
wait  upon  them,  and  yet  you  will  not 
my  place.  If  I  stay  a  moment  behind 
for  coming  you  take  a  dollar  from  my 
ry.  J.have  stood  it  all  for  him,  but  1*11  tell 


NBLUB,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  (XLOAK   MODEL*. 

you  now" — and  Nell  went  close  up  to  Hortense 
and  looked  her  in  the  eyes — "I'll  tell  you  now 
that  I  won't  stand  it  any  longer.  Your  abuse 
of  that  poor  little  crippled  boy  has  decided  me, 
and  I  will  work  for  you  no  more." 

Her  voice  was  so  vibrant  with  deep  emotion, 
her  eyes  so  brilliant  with  passing  passions,  that 
Hortense  was  frightened.  She  had  never  seen 
the  beautiful  cloak  model  just  like  this  before, 
and  it  alarmed  her.  What  if  Nell  should  go 
without  her  uncle  seeing  her  aad  complain  to 
the  poHcel 

"I  say,A  said  Nell,  still  in  a  rage,  "that  I 
shall  work  for  you  no  more." 

Saying  this,  she  tore  with  desperate  effort  the 
apron  from  her  waist  and  threw  it  upon  the 
floor. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  said  Hortense,  put- 
ting herself  in  the  girl's  path. 

There  was  a  tone  in  Hortense 's  voice  that 
<  Nell  had  never  heard  before.  It  contained  al- 
most an  appeal,  a  complaint  of  fear,  that  roused 
the  cloak  model  to  her  position,  and  Nell  knew 
that  she  had  frightened  her  enemy. 

"I  am  going  to  look  for  another  position,  first 


11HB   BE&OTfFTJL  GLOAK   MODEL* 

teffing  Mr.  Nelson  why  I  am  going,  and 
after  that" — and  here  Nell  went  close  to  fee 
forewoman — "  after  that  I  am  going  to  get  oat 
a  warrant  for  your  arrest." 

This  was  a  stinging  sentence  Nell  would  never 
have  believed  she  could  have  slung  with  s?»eh 
passion.  And  the  action  of  iier  companion 
showed  her  even  more  that  she*held  the  vantage 
ground. 

"I  shall  not  let  you  go,"  said  Horteaase, 
standing  with  her  hand  upon  the  sliding  door 
through  which  Nell  must  pass  if  she  ascended 
the  stairs. 

"I  tell  you  I  will  go,"  replied  Nell;  "and 
don't  you  dare  toflock  that  door.  My  wraps  are 
there  in  the  hall.  Do  you  hear?  Give  me  that 
key." 

Hortense,  with  a  very  white  face,  had  suc- 
ceeded in  turning  the  key  in  the  lock  and  taking 
it  out.  Nell,  seeing  the  action,  made  a  pass  for 
it,  but  the  forewoman  dealt  her  hand  a  blow. 

'  '  Wait  a  moment, ' '  said  Hortense.  ' '  You  can- 
mot  take  things  into  your  own  hands  this  way. 
Do  you  understand  that?  I  insist  that  you  go 
back  to  your  work.  You  may  even  go  into  the 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

sales  department;  but  you  shall  not  do  as  yen 

have  threatened/' 

t 

As  if  help  had  descended  from  some  friendly 
quarter,  Hortense  heard  Walter  speaking  on 
the  outside,  and  almost  before  Nell  knew  what 
the  forewoman  was  doing  she  had  opened  the 
door  and  drawn  him  inside. 

"Are  you  women  at  it  again?"  was  the  first 
query  Walter  gave. 

"Sbe  is  going  to  the  police  about  you  and 
me,"  replied  Hortense. 

"I  think  not,"  answered  Walter,  looking  at 
Nell,  whose  face  had  gone  deadly  white.  It 
seemed  to  the  girl  that  she  was  ever  to  be  in  the 
haanfe  of  her  enemy.  As  much  as  she  hated  Hor- 
tense, she  hated  the  man  twice  as  much. 

She  could  hear  Walter  and  Hortense  whisper- 
ing together,  and  she  knew  they  were  plotting 
something  against  her.  She  looked  about.  The 
Eoom  was  empty,  as  far  as  help  was  concerned 
for  her.  She  knew  that  the  freight  elevator 
would  not  descend  until  the  ropes  were  pulled 
from  below.  There  would  be  no  escape  for  her, 
she  also  knew,  if  these  two  people  could  have 
their  way. 


124        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MOOBU 

She  saw  Walter  turn  from  Hortense  toward 
her,  saw  the  wicked  light  flaming  in  his  eyes, 
and  then  she  parried  the  blow  he  struck  at  her. 

"So  you  think  to  get  the  best  of  us,  do  you?" 
he  muttered,  winding  his  arms  about  her  waist 
and  crushing  her  to  him.  "Well,  get  that  from 
your  mind.  This  time  you  die.  Do  you  know 
what  we  are  going  to  do  to  you?  Just  put  you, 
bound  and  gagged,  under  that  elevator,  and  let 
it  crush  you  to  death.  The  job  will  be  so  well 
done  that  even  the  fact  that  you  had  a  cloth  in 
your  mouth  will  be  passed  over  as  a  collar  you 
tad  worn  about  your  neck.  With  hundreds  of 
pounds  upon  your  slender  body,  you  realize  now 
— if  you  think  at  all,  which  I  very  much  doubt — 
that  we,  Hortense  and  I,  have  got  the  best  of 
this  little  game  we  have  been  playing." 

Nell  could  utter  no  word.  Her  breath  was 
coming  in  short  gasps.  Never  had  she  felt  so 
n^ar  the  end — not  even  when  she  was  upon  the 
track  and  realized  that  a  great  train  was  bear- 
ing down  upon  her. 

Somehow  she  was  so  helpless,  so  pathetically 
without  friends.  Suddenly  there  came  into  her 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

mind  a  thought :  why  should  she  be  persecuted 
by  this  man  and  woman  thus?  They  wanted  to 
remove  her  from  their  paths.  It  was  not  love  on 
the  part  of  Walter,  as  he  had  tried  to  make  her 
believe,  but  some  deeper  and  more  wicked  mo- 
tive than  that.  Into  her  mind  came  a  thought 
of  a  sweet  face,  and  when  she  analyzed  it,  as  she 
lay  half -fainting,  she  knew  that  it  was  the  face 
of  Walter's  aunt.  It  gave  her  strength  to  speak. 

"What  if  your  aunt  could  see  you?"  asked 
she.  "She  loves  me,  for  she  said  she  did." 

With  a  muffled  oath,  Walter  quickly  bound  a 
cloth,  which  Hortense  had  given  him,  about  the 
girPs  mouth,  and  Nell  felt  that  her  end  had 
come. 

"Quick!"  gasped  Hortense;  "put  her  under, 
and  then  pull  the  rope." 

It  took  but  a  moment  for  the  man  to  carry  out 
flie  command  of  his  sweetheart,  and  Nell,  with 
fcer  senses  thickened  by  the  thought  of  coming 
death,  and  then  quickened  by  a  dread  of  what 
would  come  to  Tom  when  she  was  gone,  sud- 
denly found  strength  to  tear  away  the  bind- 
ings and  lift  the  cloth  as  Walter  pulled  the  rope. 
Her  voice,  sounding  unlike  her  own  to  her 


3.26        NELUE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

called  pitifully  for  heip,  and  it  reached  a  eer- 
tain  littte  lame  boy,  who  was  patiently  waiting 
for  his  beloved. 

If  it  had  not  been  for  the  God  who  is  ewr 
wateMng  over  his  own,  Nellie's  life  would  have 
ended  then  and  there,  Something  had  happened 
to  the  elevator  and  Walter  could  not  make  it 
work  He  pulled  and  tugged,  and  as  he  spent 
his  strength,,  so  did  little  Tom  trying  te  break: 
opea  the  door,  through  which  came  his  darling's 
voice,  begging  for  help. 

When  he  had  made  enough  room  for  his  small 
body  to  crawl  through,  and  he  was  standing  with 
frightened  eyes,  he  saw  that  the  great  moving 
machine  had  commenced  slowly  to  descend,  and 
that  Nell,  his  beautiful  Nell,  was  bound  mnd^r  it. 

Hortense,  hardly  knowing  what  she  did,  and 
on  tire  impulse  of  the  moment,  pulled  the  small 
erutohes  from  the  lad,  and  he  lay  without 
strength  upon  the  floor.  No  human  being  was 
more  helpless  than  this  child  without  his  sticks. 

Walter  touched  him  scornfully  with  his  pat- 
ent-leather boot  as  he  passed,  and  said,  a-s  he 
unlocked  the  door  and  allowed  Hortense  to  go 
before  him : 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL.        127 

"Lie  there,  little  scum  of  the  Bowery,  and 
watch  your  beautiful  cousin  meet  her  death.  And 
elie  yourself,  if  you  wish  to,  for  there  is  no  place 
on  earth  for  a  cripple. ' ' 

They  were  alone,  Nellie  bound  tightly  under 
the  car  and  little  Tom  many  feet  away  from  her, 
helpless. 

"Help!  "cried  Nell,  through  the  thick  cloth 
that  Walter  had  fastened  again  over  her  mouth. 

And  Tom  did  help.  He  could  do  greater  things 
than  he  had  ever  imagined. 

"I'm  coming,  Nell/7  he  cried  stoutly,  and 
then  began  to  wriggle  his  small  body  quietly, 
-even  though  it  was  agony  to  him,  over  the 
smooth,  polished  floor. 

For  a  space  of  three  seconds  a  life  hung  irf 
the  balance ;  but  Nell's  God,  to  whom  she  prayed 
every  day,  heard  her  silent  petition  and  the  sob- 
bing voice  of  the  little  lame  boy.  As  he  passed 
the  heavy  cases  Nell  had  been  told  to  fill  he  saw 
before  him  a  huge  knife  used  to  cut  the  ropes 
.  that  bound  the  packages. 

Slowly  he  could  see  the  car  coming,  and  that 
hastened  his  misshapen  body  to  do  its  full  duty. 
He  severed  the  cords  that  were  cutting  into  the 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL. 


tender  flesh  of  Nell,  and  with  a 
for  which  he  could  never  afterward  account,  he 
helped  the  fainting  girl  to  lift  her  body  from  the 
danger  that  imperiled  it. 

"You're  all  right,  Nell,"  he  breathed  in  her 
ear,  as  the  freight  car  came  to  the  ground  with 
a  clap. 

And  verily  she  believed  that  she  was  all  right. 
Tom  wfts  weeping  close  to  her,  his  tears  falling 
upon  her  upturned  face. 

"You've  saved  my  life,  darling/'  sobbed  the 
girl,  *  '  and  I  shall  give  you  what  is  left  of  it.  Oh, 
Tom,  how  good  God  is  to  even  wicked  me.  I 
wanted  to  be  revenged  upon  those  people,  and  if 
it  had  not  been  for  you  they  would  have  surely 
had  their  revenge  upon  me." 

Nell  did  not  wait  to  give  in  her  request  to  de- 
part from  the  store.  She  helped  her  little  cousin 
to  his  feet  and  together  they  went  away,  but  not 
before  giving  a  certain  young  man  and  his 
helper,  Hortense  Drake,  a  great  scare. 

*         #         *          *         *         *        # 

In  the  office  of  the  forewoman  Walter  waited. 
He  knew  that  when  the  word  had  gone  out  that 
Nell  had  been  killed  and  her  mangled  body  had 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"beea  found  that  he  would  have  to  be  near  Hor- 
tense, who  was  in  a  very  nervous  state.  The 
woman's  absolute  devotion  to  the  man  in  the  last 
few  weeks  had  only  made  his  affection  more  and 
deeper  for  her.  He  had  never  before  realized 
what  a  woman 's  love  for  a  man  could  do.  He 
would  take  his  place  at  the  head  of  his  set  in  the 
fashionable  world  and  elevate  Hortense  to  the 
position  that  she  deserved.  He  would  cast  be- 
hind  him  all  the  crimes  that  he  had  committed 
and  begin  life  over  again. 

The  weight  of  crime  upon  his  heart  was  great, 
feut  that  he  would  forget.  As  he  sat  there  alone, 
waiting  for  the  return  of  the  partner  in  all  his 
wickedness,  he  dropped  his  head  upon  his  hands. 
"What  would  his  aunt  say  if  she  could  know  that 
he  was  persecuting  and — even  more — plotting 
to  murder  her  own  beautiful  daughter?  There 
arose  in  his  heart  a  great  respect  for  Nell  for 
,the  fortitude  with  which  she  had  borne  all  he 
had  done  to  her. 

Just  then  Hortense  opened  the  door,  and  her 
face  was  so  pale  that  the  man  thought  she  was 
going  to  faint. 


3.30        NELLI!^    THE    BEAUTIFUL,   CLOAK    MODEL. 

6 'It  has  been  discovered?"  he  said  in  a  low 
tone. 

"  Worse  than  that,"  replied  the  woman  slow- 
ly. "I  met  the  girl  and  the  boy  going  out.  She 
has  either  escaped  our  plot,  or  I  have  lost  my 
senses.  I  shall  never  be  the  same  woman  again. 
I  believe  that  I  am  going  out  of  my  mind." 

"Don't  be  foolish,  Hortense."  said  "Walter, 
shaking  her  fiercely  by  the  arm.  "You  thought 
you  saw  her.  It's  only  a  trick  of  your  imagina- 
tion." 

"Then  it  was  a  ghastly  trick,"  replied  Hor- 
tense. looking  about  her  in  fear.  "You  go  out 
and  see  if  there  is  anything  said  about  her.  Go 
down  to  my  room,  where  she  works — you  know, 
the  packing  place — and  listen,  and  come  back 
tome." 

Y7s.lt er  was  up  and  off  in  a  moment.  He 
vvended  his  way  rapidly  among  the  clerks  and 
floorwalkers  to  the  basement,  where  he  supposed 
he  would  hear  of  the  disaster.  But  no  one  was 
there  save  Polly  and  Ike.  The  girl  was  putting 
cloaks  in  a  box,  while  the  Jew;  was  looking  down 
upon  her  admiringly* 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK    MODEL. 

*  '  Can  you  tell  me, ' '  began  Walter,  faintly, '  *  if 
I  can  find  Miss  Grey  about  here?" 

"If  she  was  anywhere  'round  here,"  replied 
Polly,  insolently,  "I  wouldn't  tell  you;  but 
long's  she's  gone  home,  it  don't  do  no  hurt  to 
say  so,  for  she  won't  see  the  likes  of  you  when 
you  go  there." 

WaMer  looked  helplessly  at  the  great  freight 
elevator.  It  was  locked  in  its  place  on  the  floor, 
but  he  saw  (no  evidences  of  a  tragedy.  Where 
had  the  girl  gone,  and  how  had  she  escaped  her 
doom?  The  lame  child  must  have  gotten  to  her 
and  cut  the  cords,  for  these  two  before  him  cer- 
tainly did  not  know  of  his  effort. 

He  went  back  to  Hortense  with  his  heart  beat- 
ing. He  must  do  something,  because  the  girl 
would  now  surely  tell  the  police.  Hortense 
looked  up  eagerly  when  he  camet  in, 

"Ts  she  dead?"  her  lips  framed. 

"She  has  escaped  in  some  way,  but  just  how 
I  do  not  know.  It  is'  up  to  me  to  go  to  her  uncle 
and,  through  that  lame  brat,  have  her  lips 
sealed.  Cheer  up,  Hortense;  every  dog  has  his 
day.  She  is  having  hers  now,  but  we  will  have 
©urs  later." 


132        NBUJB,   TPHE   BEABP1SFVL  CLOAK   MOOBfe 


CHAPTEE  IX.  i 

WHEN  Nellie  came  into  the  house,  leading  lit- 
tle Tom,  she  met  her  uncle  coming  from  the 
room  in  which  she  slept. 

"Did  you  want  anything  in  my  bedroom?'* 
asked  the  girl  freezingly. 

"Yes;  it  was  cold  in  mine,"  explained  Bed- 
ford. 

"And  colder  in  here,"  answered  Nellie,  as  she 
threw  open  the  door.  *  '  If  you  wanted  anything, 
why  did  you  not  ask  me?  Oh,  I  am  so  tired 
of  this  awful  mystery  that  is  surrounding  me  I 
Now  tell  me,  uncle — for  you  surely  know — why 
do  these  people — that  man  and  woman — keep 
persecuting  me?  I  will  know,  or  I  shall  put 
them  where  they  cannot  trade  upon  my  feelings 
any  more." 

"The  man  loves  you  honestly,"  purred  Bed- 
ford, soothingly.  "Is  there  any  reason  a  good 
man  should  not  love  a  good  woman?" 


THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.        ^33 

"A  good  man/'  broke  in  NelHe,  her  voice 
growing  husky  with  emotion.  "How  can  you 
eafl  him  a  good  man?" 

"He  is  very  rich,  my  love." 

"Are  all  rich  men  good?"  demanded  the  girl, 
with  flashing  eyes.  "And  is  a  man  good  who 
^will  lay  a  girl  on  the  railroad  tracks  to  get  her 
oat  of  his  way?" 

"That  was  not  proven  against  him,"  replied 
Bedford. 

"And  would  a  good  man,"  went  on  Nellie, 
passionately,  "bind  a  girl  and  put  her  under  an 
elevator  that  she  might  be  crushed  to  death  by 
its  weight?" 

Bedford  turned  sharply  upon  her. 

"He  did  not  do  that,"  he  answered  with 
spirit. 

"He  did,"  returned  Nell;  "and,  what  is  more, 
if  it  had  not  been  for  little  Tom  I  should  have 
been  killed. ' '  Then,  turning  upon  her  uncle,  she 
said  sarcastically :  "There  is  something  of  a 
mystery  about  all  this,  and  I  think  that  I  must 
amount  to  something  more  than  we  have  ever 
thought  of,  or  they  would  not  want  me  from 
their  path.  I  think  I  shall  give  the  case  into  the 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL, 

hands  of  a  good  detective,  and  that  will 
end  it." 

"You  have  no  money  to  hire  one,"  sneered 
Bedford. 

"No;  but  the  county  has,"  put  in  Nell,  know- 
ingly. "And  I  shall  so  plead  my  case  that  I  not 
only  will  be  free  from  persecution,  but  the  peo- 
ple who  have  imperiled  my  life  twice  will  be 
plaeed  where  they  won't  do  it  again." 

"You  speak  like  a  fool,"  threatened  Bedford^, 
"and  I  bid  you  be  silent." 

Just  then  a  bell  rang  through  the  house,  and 
Nellie,  looking  from  the  window,  saw  a  cab 
standing  in  front,  and,  leaning  farther  over,  she 
could  discern  the  figure  of  a  man  waiting  for 
some  one  to  answer  his  ring. 

"I  think  that  is  your  friend  below,"  she  said 
to  Bedford,  sneeringly;  "and  I  might  as  well 
warn  you  that  if  he  should  ask  for  me  I  will  not 
be  in." 

Bedford  went  hastily  downstairs.  He  drew 
Hilton,  whose  face  was  pale  and  twitching,  into 
the  little,  bare  parlor  in  the  front  of  the  house. 

"fa  she  here?"  asked  Walter,  and  Bedford 
nodded  his  head. 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MCTDEL. 

"  What  were  you  trying  to  do  to  the  girl  over 
there?"  asked  Nell's  uncle,  seeing  in  his  mind 
another  hundred  dollars  coming  from  the  pocket 
of  Hilton  to  him. 

"Nothing,"  ejaculated  the  man.  "Did  she 
tell  you  any  fairy  tale?" 

"Fairy  tale  or  not,"  put  in  Bedford,,  "you 
have  endangered  her  life,  and  I  think  it  is  worth 
another  hundred  dollars  right  now." 

Hilton  staggered  back.  Then  the  girl  had 
told  it,  and  her 'uncle  believed  the  tale,  and  he 
would  have  to  put  up  more  funds  now,  when 
they  were  especially  low. 

"I  don't  see  how  you  can  believe  that  girl's 
lies,"  he  said  at  last,  with  a  sort  of  gasp.  "You 
know  that  she  is  a  liar." 

"I  know  no  such  a  thing,"  broke  in  Bedford. 
"On  the  contrary,  that  is  the  one  good  trait  that 
my  niece  possesses.  She  always  tells  the  truth. 
"What  is  more,  my  little  son,  who  has  inherited 
from  his  mother  the  love  of  truth,  is  willing  to 
•swear  that  you  tried  not  more  than  an  hour  ago 
to  kill  my  niece.  Now,  then,  my  dear  sir,  hand 
over  the  money." 


136        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

Walter  fumbled  feebly  in  his  pocket,  and  said 
slowly,  without  taking  the  money  from  it : 

"If  I  give  you  to-day  one  hundred  dollars, 
'will  you  fix  it  so  that  girl  won't  peach?  You 
have  got  to  square  it  somehow.  If  you  don't, 
then  I'll  have  to  leave  town  before  the  police 
get  me,  and  then  you'll  have  no  good  chance  of 
getting  the  five  thousand." 

"We  are  friends,"  said  Bedford,  holding  out 
his  hand,  "are  we  not?  I  know  that  I  can  ar- 
range the  matter. ' ' 

"And  I  know  it,  too,"  put  in  Hilton,  "be- 
cause she  is  fond  of  the  boy.  You  can  work 
her  through  him." 

Bedford  was  folding  the  bills  carefully. 

"That  is  true,"  he  went  on  in  an  affable  voice. 
"She  does  love  the  boy,  and  we  are  friends." 

"Then  you  will  find  the  girl  and  make  it  all 
right,  so  that  Miss  Drake  and  I  will  not  have  to 
worry  about  her  lies?" 

"I  will  find  the  girl,"  put  in  Bedford,  smil- 
ingly, "and  make  it  all  right  with  her  about  the 
truth  that  she  might  tell  about  you.  You  under- 
stand, Mr.  Hilton,  that  you  cannot  draw  the 
l  over  my  eyes.  I  do  not  know  why  you  are 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.        13J 

trying  to  harm  my  girl,  but  I  promise  you  this : 
that  I  will  find  out,  if  it  is  in  the  power  of  mor- 
tal man — unless  she  finds  out  before  me,  as  isj 
her  threat." 

"For  heaven's  sake,  don't  let  her  interfere  in 
this  matter,  I  beg  of  you,  Bedford,  and  if  you 
want  more  money,  then  keep  her  fingers  f rom 
the  pie." 

"I  shall  do  my  best,"  said  Bedford;  "and  I 
assure  you  that  it  is  all  right  before  I  begin. ' ? 

*  *  Then  let  me  get  out  of  here,"  answered  Hil- 
ton, in  a  low  tone.  "The  air  stifles  me.'; 

Bedford  went  slowly  upstairs.  He  was  medi- 
tating in  just  what  manner  he  should  approach 
his  niece. 

Nellie  met  him  at  the  door  with  a  white,  drawn 
face,  and  said: 

"Tom  has  been  taken  suddenly  worse.  Go 
t  for  help,  quick !  Oh,  I  am  so  worried ! ' ' 

"If  you  will  promise  not  to  leave  this  house 
until  I  return  I  will  go." 

"I  promise,"  said  Nell. 

And  when  the  surgeon  was  closeted  wMi  little 
Tom,  Nell  said  to  her  uncle : 

"He  would  not  have  been  ifl  if  he  had  not 


138        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

tried  to  save  me  from  that  elevator.  Let  me  as- 
sure you,  uncle,  that  these  people  shall  never 
escapesthis  time." 

She  was  walking  up  and  down  the  room,  her 
heart  aching  wildly,  and  the  tears  falling  from 
her  eyes. 

"You  are  to  forget  that  little  incident  about 
the  elevator,"  slowly  said  Tom's  father,  looking 
at  his  niece  sharply. 

Just  then  the  surgeon  came  in  with  his  report* 

"The  child  has  wrenched  his  back  in  some 
way,"  said  he,  "and  it  will  be  necessary  to  per- 
form a  serious  operation,  which  is  most  diffi- 
cult." 

"And  is  that  the  only  thing  that  will  save  his- 
life?"  demanded  Nell,  holding  out  her  hands 
pleadingly. 

The  doctor  nodded  his  head. 

"He  ought  to  be  taken  immediately  to  a  pri- 
vate room  in  a  hospital,"  replied  he;  "and  I 
might  say  that  after  it  is  over  he  will  be  able 
to  walk." 

"Do  you  mean  without  crutches?"  demanded 
the  half-crazed  girl. 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

The  man  nodded  again,  and  this  time  waited 
for  the  girl  to  go  on. 

4 ' Uncle,  we  must  get  money;  do  you  hear? 
Sir,  I  promise  yon,  if  you  will  send  for  him,  that 
I  will  in  some  way  return  your  kindness/' 

"Then  I  will  send  for  him  immediately,"  re- 
plied the  surgeon. 

When  he  had  gone  the  girl  turned  upon  the 
waiting  man. 

' '  Uncle  Bedford,  let  us  make  a  compact.  You 
know  that  I  love  Tom,  and  if  you  will  just  help 
me  to  get  him  well  I  promise  that  I  will  work  for 
you  always,  as  long  as  you  want  me.  You  shall 
Jiave  half  of  my  salary  every  week,  and  I  will 
be  your  slave.  Will  you  help  me,  uncle -V9 

"I  cannot  help  you,  my  love,"  suavely  replied 
Bedford.  "But  I  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do. 
If  you  will  give  up  this  idea  you  have  about  ar- 
resting Hilton  and  Miss  Drake  I  will  help  you 
get  the  money." 

"How!" 

!     "  Yoti  are  to  ask  Mr.  Hilton  for  it.    He  could 
refuse  you  nothing." 

Her  trade  was  near  her,  very  near,  so  she 
could  look  directly  into  his  eyes.  There  was  a 


140        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

determination  in  them  that  was  strange  to 
Nell. 

"Do  you  mean,"  she  faltered,  "that  if  I  re- 
fuse to  make  friends  with  this  man  that  you  wiH 
not  let  them  perform  that  operation  V9 

Bedford  nodded  his  head. 

"But,  uncle,  it  would  be  so  much  like  selling 
myself  to  him.  If  he  is  as  kind-hearted  as  you 
.say,  and  I  have  misjudged  him,  then  he  will  let 
you  have  the  money  for  little  Tom.  Oh, 'I  beg 
of  you  to  ask  him  for  it.  You  say  that  you  are 
such  friends." 

"Yes,  we  are  friends,"  deliberately  replied 
Bedford.  "But  this  much  for  you:  You  cannot 
see  Tom  again  unless  you  do  as  I  say.  You  can- 
not stay  in  the  same  house  with  us,  do  you  hear? 
And  Tom  can  crawl  about  on  his  knees,  if  he  is 
able,  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  I  refuse  to  allow 
him  to  go  to  the  hospital." 

"You  are  going  to  separate  Tom  and  me?" 
shrieked  the  girl. 

"There  is  no  room  in  this  House  for  a  girl 
who  would  allow  her  cousin  to  die  when  by  hold- 
ing tip  her  hand  she  could  save  him.  Poor  little 
Tom,  he  has  no  friend  left  but  me." 


NELLIE,  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK  MODEL. 

And  then,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  the  room, 
te  added : 

"Benaember  that  I  shall  make  you  the  sor- 
riest girl  in  all  New  York  if  you  dare  to  carry  , 
out  your  threats  against  my  friends."  And 
then,  coining  closer  to  her,  he  finished:  "Others 
don't  know  nae  as  well  as  you  do,  but  if  you  go 
away  from  here  with  that  fatal  stubbornness  in 
your  heart,  and  leave  Tom  with  me,  he  shall  suf- 
fer until  the  day  of  his  death  for  your  action, 
So  take  your  choice." 

Nell,  alone,  was  not  so  dignified  as  when  her 
uncle  was  with  her.  She  sank  down  beside  the 
chair  and  tried  to  pray.  But  her  heart  was  to& 
full  to  petition  any  set  prayer.  The  only  words 
that  would  come  was  a  tearful  begging  that  Tom 
might  die  and  so  escape  all  the  torture  that 
would  come  to  him,  for  the  girl  had  no  idea  that 
she  would  submit  to  her  uncle's  wishes. 

She  was  still  weeping  out  her  sorrow  alone 
when  the  door  suddenly  opened,  and  she  saw  the 
cheery  face  of  Jack  Carroll,  who  always  eame 
just  when  she  wanted  him  most. 

"I  came,  Miss  Nellie,"  said  he,  coming  up 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

close  to  her,  "because  I  heard  that  Tom  was 
suddenly  taken  ill.  Is  it  true ! ' ' 

Nellie  could  not  trust  herself  to  speak. 

"What  does  the  doctor  say?"  asked  Jack,  see- 
ing the  commotion  going  on  in  the  girl's  heart. 

"He  says,"  replied  Nell,  in  a  voice  that  her 
hearer  did  not  recognize  as  hers,  "that  if  he  has 
care,  an  operation,  and  good  food,  he  will  get 
well,  but  otherwise*he  will  die." 

"Oh,  dear,"  replied  Jack,  impetuously,  "if  I 
oould  only  give  you  money.  Nellie  Grey,  I  love 
you !  Will  you  let  me  bear  your  burdens  ? ' ' 

"How  can  you  bear  my  burdens?"  cried  Nel- 
lie, bitterly,  "if  you  have  not  money?  Do  you 
know  that  I  don't  care  that  much  for  any  man's 
love  without  money  for  him !  What  good  does 
love  do  me,  when  I  know  that  he  is  tortured  and 
in  pain?" 

"Nellie,  he  shall  not  die,"  cried  Jack.  "I  will 
work  for  you  both.  Do  you  hear?  You  shall 
have  money,  if  that  is  what  you  want," 

Nellie  regarded  him  with  somber  eyes.  There 
had  been  a  time,  and  only  a  few  short  hours  be- 
fore, lhat  a  declaration  of  love  from  Jack  Car- 
roll would  have  made  her  the  happiest  girl  in 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.        -[43 

all  the  world;  but  now,  when  it  seemed  to  her 
that  this  same  love  stood  in  the  light  of  her  darl-  • 
ing's  life,  she  would  not  listen.    She  had  been 
given  her  uncle's  final  ultimatum  that  it  was 
only  through  the  friendship  of  Walter  Hilton  * 
that  she  would  be  at  rest,  and  that  she  could  be 
sure  that  her  little  lame  cousin  was  safe. 

"I  cannot  speak  of  love  in  a  time  like  this," 
she  said  hoarsely.  "  Yesterday  I  would  have 
been  flushed  with  pride,  but  to-day  I — I — well, 
my  heart  is  dead." 

Jack  was  leaning  over  the  bowed  figure. 

' ' It  is  not  dead,"  cried  the  boy;  "not  dead  to 
me,  Nellie.  It  will  awaken  under  nay  love  as  the 
flowers  awaken  in  the  spring.  There,  little  love, 
let  Jack  tell  you  what  he  will  do." 

The  girl  rose  to  her  feet  and  looked  about  has- 
tily. All  the  excitement  of  the  day  seemed  to 
have  turned  her  mind.  Her  eyes  were  staring, 
and  in  her  brain  was  but  one  thought:  Tom 
would  die  of  want  and  torture  if  she  did  not  ap- 
ply to  Hilton.  Of  course  she  would.  Had  there 
*  -ever  been  a  time  since  the  little  cripple  was  bora 
that  she  would  not  have  sacrificed  her  life  for 
the  child? 


144        NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"It's  all  too  much,"  she  stammered  weaklyf 
"too  much !  I  cannot  get  above  the  fact  that  he 
is  ill,  that  he  needs  me  more  now  than  ever.  I 
cannot  think  of  love — I  cannot !  I  do  not  want 
anything  but  money — do  you  hear? — nothing 
but  money !  Not  for  myself,  but  for  him. ' ? 

"Could  you  wait  a  few  weeks  for  it?"  asked 
Jack,  a  thought  in  his  mind  as  to  his  ability  to 
raise  the  amount  she  needed. 

"  No ;  I  must  have  it  to-day.  And  there  is  but 
e»e  condition  that  I  can  use,  whatever  I  raise 
upon  him,  and  you  are  not  the  instrument 
chosen. " 

"Nellie,  what  are  you  going  to  do?"  asked  tte 
boy,  as  he  watched  her,  terror-stricken. 

4 '  Going  to  the  doctor, ' '  now  calmly  replied  the 
girl;  "and  if  he  says  that  money  will  save  his 
life,  then  I  am — going  to — get  it." 

With  this  she  was  gone,  leaving  the  lad  stand- 
ing in  the  middle  of  the  room,  his  eyes  upon  the 
door  through  which  she  had  passed. 

"I  wonder  what  she  meant?"  he  soliloquized. 
"Sha  said  she  was  going  to  get  money.  I  won- 
der where?  I  wonder  if  she  could  be  tempted 
with  that  scoundrel's  money,  or  if  there  is  a  plot 


NffifclE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    MODEL. 

to  get  her  into  life  hands.  I  will  not  follow  her, 
but  no  harm  can  reach  her  save  through  him, 
and  so  I  will  follow  him. ' ' 

*         *         *         #          *          # '       # 

That  night  Walter  Hilton  was  again  at  the 
boarding-house,  called  there  by  a  telephone  mes- 
sage from  Bedford.  Hilton  had  been  told  by  the 
girl's  uncle  that  the  iron  was  hot  and  to  strike 
;wfaHe  h$  could. 

Nell  was  in  despair  when  she  was  confronted 
with  Walter.  Her  uncle  was  not  there,  and  when 
she  turned  upon  Hilton  and  begged  him,  for  the 
love  of  humanity,  to  do  something  for  the  boy, 
he  thought  he  had  never  in  all  his  life  seen  a  girl 
as  beautiful.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  thought 
of  Hortense  he  would  have  placed  his  arms 
about  Nell,  told  her  the  truth,  and  have  taken 
her  home  to  her  mother,  trusting  to  time  to  make 
her  forgive  him  and  accept  the  place  in  his  heart 
that  she  was  fast  taking  there. 

"Will  you  lend  me  the  money?"  the  girl 
begged.  "Only  fifty  dollars,  and  that  will  pay 
the  first  installment.  I  will  surely  work  and  pay 
it  back  to  you." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"I  would  not  want  it  back  if  you  would  be  my 
friend, ' '  replied  Walter. 

And  never  had  lie  in  all  his  life  before  wanted 
anything  quite  as  much  as  this  girl  who  stood 
wide-eyed  before  him,  begging  that,  for  the  life 
of  her  little  cousin,  he  should  let  her  have  a  lit- 
tle money.  For  Tom  was  more  than  a  brother  to 
her,  so  Nell  said. 

Walter  took  a  roll  of  bills  from  his  pocket  and 
handed  them  to  her.  Nell  put  forth  her  hand 
tremblingly  and  took  the  money  between  her 
fingers. 

"You  know,  I  only  want  fifty  dollars,"  she 
explained  slowly,  "and  I  will  surely  return  it 
to  you. ' 9 

"I  do  not  want  it  back,"  said  Walter,  coming 
nearer  to  her.  ' '  You  are  more  than  welcome  to 
all  I  have." 

' '  I  can 't  do  that, ' '  answered  Nell,  holding  out 
the  bills  to  him.  "You  see  that  I  cannot  do 
that." 

Hilton  saw  that  she  hesitated — that  her  own 
life  was  of  no  value  beside  that  of  the  child.  He 
could  read  it  in  the  girl's  face.  He  had  never 
felt  so  like  a  wretch  in  all  his  life.  But  then  the 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL. 

thought  of  his  aunt's  money  eame  into  his  mind, 
and  he  said : 

"Nellie  Grey,  why  do  you  drive  me  to  desper- 
ation? You  know  that  I  am  only  too  willing  to 
be  your  friend.  You  have  heard  of  men  who  so 
loved  women  that  they  were  more  than  willing 
to  have  them  die  than  to  live  for  some  one  else? 
I  am  like  that.  I  hate  every  one  who  comes  in 
contact  with  you.  You  may  have  all  the  money 
that  you  want  for  the  boy,  for  yourself,  and  for 
your  uncle  if  you  will  promise  that  you  will  be 
my  friend — that  you  will  come  with  me  to- 
night." 

"I  do  not  know  where  you  want  me  to  go/' 
said  the  girl,  fearfully. 

"I  am  going  to  have  a  party  on  board  my 
yacht,"  explained  Walter,  "and  if  you  will 
eome,  then  I  know  that  you  trust  me.  After  that 
you  can  ask  me  anything  you  wish  and  I  will 
grant  it" 

"I  will  be  there,"  replied  poor  little  NelL 
"You  can  give  me  the  name  of  your  boat.  Will 
you?" 

"Will  If"  asked  Walter,  slowly.  "You  do 
not  know  me,  Mttfe  gM.  I  ain  coming  for  you 


NELLIE,   Tim   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

myself  in  a  cab.    You  will  be  ready  at  sews* 
And  from  this  day  forward  your  troubles 
little  Tom's  axe  at  an  end." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CLOAK   MODEL. 


CHAPTER  X. 

night,  and  the  bay  looked  resplendent 
from  the  high-sailing  moon  and  the  electric 
lights  in  the  water.  A  small  private  yacht  stood 
steaming,  ready  for  departure,  and  two  people 
were  talking  on  the  gangplank. 

"Perhaps  the  message  will  tell  us  some- 
thing/' said  the  man,  slowly  taking  a  delight- 
fully aromatic  cigar  from  Ms  lips  and  looking 
at  the  woman. 

"Perhaps,"  she  replied,  tearing  open  the  yel- 
low envelope.  * '  Yes,  it  tells  us  that  he  is  coining 
^with  her  for  a  midnight  sail.  I  have -hated  her, 
but  I  always  thought  she  was  a  good  girl.  I  am 
glad  I  was  mistaken. ' ' 

She  tore  the  telegram  into  many  fragments" 
and  threw  them  into  the  bay. 

"Poverty  is  a  hard  master,"  said  Bedford, 
again  puffing  out  the  smoke,  "and  the  girl  has 


150       NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

had  masny  trials.  Then  she  loves  tlrat  brat  of 
mine  as  she  would  am.  own  brother— aye,  even 
more,  as  her  own  child,  mayhap." 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments,  and 
then  the  woman  said: 

"Well,  what's  the  use  of  speculating  upon 
human  virtue?  We  must  go  inside.  It's  too 
cold  to  be  moon-gazing." 

"That's  true,"  answered  Bedford,  medita- 
tively. "Let  us  descend  and  partake  of  our 
host's  hospitality." 

And  then,  just  as  the  two  went  below,  another 
pair  came  into  the  rays  of  the  moonlight,  and 
Polly,  Nell's  little  friend,  said  lightly: 

"They  went  too  late.  We  saw  them,  didn't 
we,  Ike?  You  know  that  they  ain't  one  of  them 
ihere  for  any  good,  and  I'm  glad  that  Mr.  Jack 
put  us  wise  what  was  going  to  happen.  He  is 
a  smart  one — don*t  you  think? — to  follow  that 
man  about  as  he  has  and  get  his  secret  from  the 
cabby.  Maybe  we  will  be  in  the  way,  Ikey, ' '  and 
she  laughed. 

"Not  much,"  replied  the  Jew;  "that  we 
won't.  I  have  a  sneakin*  notion  that  Miss  Nel- 
lie ia  bein'  brought  here  against  her  will,  and  if 


NELLIE, .  THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL.        ]_5  J 

not  that,  then  much  worse,  bein'  paid  to  come. 
We'll  give  her  a  chance  to  change  her  mind,  » 
won't  we,  Poll?" 

"You  just  bet  we  will,  Ike/'  said  the  girl. 
"And,  Ikey,  I  want  to  say  this,  that  you  remem- 
ber that  time  when  you  said  that  I  would  feel 
sorry  'bout  what  I  said  of  your  face.  "Well,  I 
feel  it  now.  It's  the  finest  face  in  New  York, 
and  I  wants  my  chance  to  love  it,  Ikey.  What 
does  you  say!" 

"That  no  other  woman  but  you,  Poll,  shall 
ever  love  that  face.  And  I  promise  you  that 
I'll  save  Miss  Nell  to-night,  and  to-morrow  I 
will  ask  you  to  say  that  over  about  my  face. 
Come  on,  now,  and  duck  into  the  lower  cabin." 

"I  didn't  tell  you,  did  I,  Ike,"  asked  Poll, 
when  they  were  safely  ensconced  in  their  hide- 
away place,  "that  I  loses  me  job  Saturday?" 

"Aw,  go  on!  Maybe  they  won't  give  you  the 
lemon, ' J  said  Ike,  in  a  low  tone.  ' '  Never  can  tell 
what  them  big  places  is  going  to  do." 

"Well,  I  won't  stay,  anyhow,"  replied  the 
girl.  * '  I  just  made  up  my  mind  to  that. ' ' 

"What  be  you  going  to  do?"  asked  Ike,  sus- 
piciously. 


,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  <3IX>&K   MOI>EL. 

"If  you  won't  tell  Nell,"  answered  Poll,  " 
tell  you.    I'm  going  on  the  stage." 

•"Is  there  a  good  livin'  made  at  that  busi- 
ness?"  questioned  Ike,  interestedly. 

"You  bet  there  is,"  was  Polly's  answer. 
"Why,  Ike,  I've  heard  of  girls  no  better 'n  I  that 
is  a-makin'  more'n  ten  dollars  a  week." 

Ike  opened  his  mouth  and  licked  his  lips  with 
n  very  red  tongue. 

"I  wish  I  was  makin'  enough  money  for  you 
not  to  do  nothin',"  said  he  slowly,  placing  a 
large  arm  about  the  tiny  waist  of  Poll.  "A  fel- 
low don't  like  to  have  the  girl  he  loves  makin' 
her  own  livin'." 

"Well,  if  he  can't  make  it  for  her,"  said  the 
practical  Polly,  "then  she  must  make  it  for  her- 
self." 

Then  Ikey  was  silent  for  a  few  moments,  see- 
ing the  wisdom  of  the  girl's  words  and  knowing 
Ms  own  inability. 

"You  see,  I  won't  get  much  money  for  the 
first  few  weeks,"  explained  Poll,  feeling  that 
Ikey  wanted  her  to  speak;  "but  after  that  111 
get — well,  more,  maybe,  than  the  President 
gets." 


NEL&1K,    THE   BEAUTIFUL,  CL.OAK   MODEL. 


"What  president  ?"  demanded  Ikey, 
Into  a  question. 

"Why,  the  President  of  the  country,"  replied 
'Poll,  boastingly. 

I  "  Go  on!"  scoffed  Ike.  "What's  the  matter 
with  you?  Why,  he  gets  fifteen  a  week,  and 
when  he  works  nights  he  gets  more." 

"  Don't  believe  it,"  answered  Poll,  angrily, 
*<and  I  don't  care  if  he  does.  Pansy  told  me  to- 
day that  the  stage  was  the  best-payin'  position 
any  one  could  have  ;  and  I  guess  Piinsy  knows, 
'eause  she  has  been  to  Washington,  too,  and 
ought  to  know  about  the  President." 

"Well,  maybe  she  does,"  replied  Ikey,  "but 
I  don't  believe  much  in  the  stage-folks." 

"I  do,"  replied  Poll,  stoutly,  "  'cause  you  see 
that  those  actresses  in  our  house  has  a  millioa 
-dollars  worth  of  diamonds." 

'  '  Then  if  they  have  that  much  money  to  spend 
on  such  jewels,"  said  Ike,  moving  his  limbs  into 
a  more  comfortable  position,  "why  do  they  let 
that  poor  Mrs.  McTish  always  keep  asking  for 
their  board  ?  I  'd  sell  ten  dollars  '  worth  and  pay 
irer." 

Ike  was  pleased  with  his  argument. 


154       NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

"Well,  I  don't  care,"  answered  Poll,  sulkily. 

"I  ani  goin'  to  be  an  actress,  and  I  guess  when 

all  the  folks  is  a-kickin'  and  clappin'  fer  me 

you'll  be  proud  to  think  that  you  told  me  I  could 

•have  a  share  in  that  face  of  yourn." 

Just  as  Ikey  was  about  to  answer  they  heard 
the  sound  of  wheels,  and  then  came  silence.  Ike 
put  his  ear  to  a  porthole  and  listened. 

"I  wish  I  hadn't  come,"  the  Jew  heard  Nell 
say.  "I  will  come  again  some  time  if  you  will 
let  me  go  home.  I  am  sure  you  are  not  sorry 
that  you  have  helped  that  little  lame  boy." 

"Of  course  I  am  not  sorry,"  said  Walter,  sol- 
emnly. "But  I  will  say  this:  if  you  do  not  go 
with  me  upon  my  party  to-night,  then  I  shall 
have  your  cousin  taken  from  the  hospital,  or,  at 
least,  I  shall  no  longer  stand  sponsor  for  him." 

Ike  strained  his  ears  to  hear  more.  Ah,  his 
time  had  come  to  protect  that  beautiful  girl  who 
had  been  his  friend  since  his  coming  to  New 
York.  He  would  take  her  back  to  hem  heart- 
lover,  if  she  wanted  to  go,  and  there  would  end 
the  influence  this  miserable  man  had  over  NelL 

Ike  did  not  tell  this  to  Polly  as  he  laid  low, 
with  his  ear  so  close  to  the  open  air  that  he 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MOOB&. 

groaned  for  fear  of  the  aches  and  pains  that 
would  come  to  him  afterward. 

"Then  our  bargain  is  off,"  Walter  Hiiton 
said  close  in  Nell's  ear,  but  not  so  near  that  the 
Jew  could  not  catch  the  words  nor  the  answer. 

"It  is  a  bargain,  then,"  said  Nell,  wider- 
standingly,  and  Ike  could  well  see  the  flashing 
of  the  dark  eyes  and  the  poise  of  the  lovely  head. 
"Let  us  understand  each  other  thoroughly,  for, 
since  it  is  a  bargain,  it  is  only  fair  to  under- 
stand. ' ' 

"Well,  go  on,"  replied  Walter,  his  foot  on  the 
gangplank. 

"I  will  be  honest  with  you,"  went  on  the  girl, 
and  Ike  thought  he  heard  a  little  catch  in  her 
voice.  "I  do  not  like  you,  but  I  will  try  and  for- 
get that.  I  will  force  myself  to  be  your  friend 
and  to  make  laughter  for  others  that  may  be 
with  you.  I  will  go  with  you  to  theatres  and 
dinners  and  such  like " 

"That  is  all  I  ask,"  put  in  Walter,  and  Ike 
felt  his  blood  boil  at  the  tone. 

"And  I  will  say  more/'  went  on  the  girly 
(  "that  I  will  go  no  farther  than  that.  I  do  not 


156       NELLIE,   THE   BEA*FT»P!&L  GUOAK 

want  to  see  you  alo&e,  and  if  you  should 
me  to  I  would — kill — you." 

The  listening  man  at  the  porthole  could  imag- 
ine just  what  the  girl  looked  like  when  she  said 
those  words.  Her  beautiful  figure  must  have 
been  drawn  to  its  fullest  height  and  her  eyes 
flashing  the  blue  fire  that  can  only  come  from 
such  eyes  as  hers. 

<  <  Pooh  I > '  laughed  Walter.  ' '  That  is  not  much 
<*f  a  risk  to  take,"  and  here  he  bent  over  Nell. 
"Why,  I  shall  be  so  good  to  you,  so  charming 
and  kind,  that  you  won't  be  sorry  you  have  been 
good  to  me.  I  will  make  your  life  the  happiest 
of  any  one's  on  earth." 

The  only  thing  that  Ike  could  not  hear  was  the 
rapping  of  the  man's  conscience  as  he  made  this 
promise,  nor  could  he  realize  that  there  was  in 
Walter  Hilton's  breast  a  cfesire  to  carry  out  his 
promise.  The  girl,  the  beautiful  cloak  model, 
looked  so  helpless  and  sweet  in  the  moonlight  I 


Below  in  the  cabin,  an  hour  later,  four  people 
were  sitting  drinking  at  the  table.  Walter  Hil- 
ton and  Hortense  Drake  were  seated  side  by; 


NELLIE,   THE   BS&tJTJFm«  GfcOAIC  MOI>Bk. 


side;  opposite  feem  was  BedloBd,  who  bad  be- 
side him  his  beautiful  niece. 

"  Money  is  a  fine  thing,"  Bedford  was  saying, 
draining  his  champagne  glass  to  the  bottom.  "I 
have  often  felt  that  I  was  intended  for  a  man  of 
wealth.  But,  heavens,  what  a  mistake  nature 
made!" 

There  was  silence  for  a  moment,  and  then 
Hortense  whispered  something  in  Walter's  ear. 

"  You  are  not  very  sociable,  Miss  Grey,"  said 
Hilton,  after  a  while,  obeying  the  forewoman's 
injunction.  "I  have  not  seen  you  taste  your 
wing." 

"I  was  thinking,"  replied  the  girl. 
•     "  Of  what  ?  '  '  asked  her  host 

"Oh,  of  my  mother!  Of  the  mother  I  newer 
knew  and  constantly  longed  for." 

"You  have  never  seen  her?"  asbed  Walter, 
obeying  a  look  from  Hortense. 

"No,"  replied  Nell.  "My  uncle  adopted  me 
when  I  was  but  a  baby.  Didn't  you,  uncle!" 

*  '  Yes,  and  have  taken  care  of  you  ever  since,  '  ' 
replied  Bedford.  "You  would  certainly  be  am 
ungrateful  girl  if  you  did  not  appreciate  what 
I  have  done  for  you." 


©LOAK   MODEL. 

Kefl  (fid  mot  utter  the  words  that  flitted 
through  her  mind — that  her  uncle  might  be 
proud  of  her ;  for  had  she  not  worked  for  years 

-  <to  keep  the  bread  of  life  within  them  all? 

il 

"My  unele  was  my  father's  brother,"  was  all 
she  said.  "I  don *t  believe  he  knows  much  of  my 
mother.  If  he  does,  he  won't  tell  me — will  you, 
uncle?" 

"tfothin'  to  tell,"  grunted  Bedford.  "Your 
mother  don't  want  you,  and  I  do,  'cause  I  love 
you — that's  all." 

"You  will  drink  your  wine  now,  Miss  Grey?" 
asked  Walter,  lifting  up  her  cup  and  handing 
it  to  her. 

"I  never  drink  wine,"  she  faltered,  looking 
at  him  as  if  she  were  afraid  that  he  would  say 
it  had  been  in  the  compact  that  she  should. 

"But  you  will  this  time,"  urged  Walter. 
"Your  uncle  will  give  his  consent." 

"You  bet  I  will,"  replied  Bedford,  -Heron  if 
you  did  promise  Tom  not  to  drink.  It's  all  in 
a  Metime." 

Kell  had  the  glass  in  her  hand,  but  had  not 
touched  it  to  her  lips.  At  the  name  of  her  darl- 
ing her  face  whitened.  Had  she  forgotten  him  I 


THE   BEAUTIFUL  6&OAK   MODEL.        159 

Tom  was  lying  at  the  point  of  death,  while  she 
was  here  making  merry.  Was  she  not  bearing 
this  awful  ordeal  for  his  sake,  when  she  would 
rather  have  been  in  her  small  room  at  Mrs.  Mc- 
Tish's? 

She  still  clutched  the  glass,  but  she  felt  a  re- 
vufeion  for  the  whole  affair.  Hortense  looked 
so  vile  and  bold;  Walter  just  the  kind  of  a  man 
that  she  bated.  And  her  uncle,  as  usual,  was 
steeped  in  drink  that  had  brought  them  all  the 
misery  they  had  ever  known.  Little  Tom  had 
foeen  brought  to  death's  door  by  it,  and  now  they 
were  offering  it  to  her.  Might  it  not  be  only  the 
beginning  of  her  end?  And  for  little  Tom,  too? 
Without  a  thought  as  to  how  it  would  appear, 
the  girl  lifted  the  glass  and  threw  its  contents 
upon  the  floor,  and  cried : 

"No, -I' will  not  touch  the  awful  stuff.  I  will 
not.  I  promised  Tom,  and  that  is  enough  for 
me." 

-     She  turned  defiantly  toward  Walter  as  she  did 
this,  and  he  said  under  his  breath  to  Hortense: 

"Gret  that  drunken  fool  out  of  the  way.  Can't 
you  see  that  he  will  spoil  everything?" 

Bedf  ©rd  was  nodding  over  his  glass,  reveling 


160       NEM-ZE,   T«'E   BEAUTKFUL,  6U)AK   MODEL.. 

in  Ms  drunken  state.  He  roused  himself  oaoe 
in  a  while  long  enough  to  make  a  remark,  and  it 
nearly  always  proved  just  the  one  Walter  did 
not  want  him  to  make.  So,  Hortense,  seeing  a 
storm  of  passion  resting  in  Walter's  eyes,, 
placed  her  hand  on  Bedford's  shoulder  and 
said: 

"Your  stateroom  is  ready  below.  And  you 
must  be  tired. " 

"I'm  tired,  too,  Miss  Drake/1  replied  Nefl^ 
still  unable  to  fathom  the  cause  of  her  coming 
to  a  party  with  the  woman  she  so  hated,  but  yet 
realizing  that  she  must  keep  friends  with  her 
then.  "And  don't  you  think  that  we  might  as 
well  go  down,  too?  It  is  getting  cold  here/'  Aad 
then  she  laughed  as  she  said:  "It's  such  an  un- 
earthly time  of  the  year  to  be  on  a  boat.  Don't 
you  think  so?" 

Hortense  glared  at  her,  for  it  was  the  first 
time  the  girl  had  addressed  herself  to  ffoe  fore- 

t  woman,  and  she  felt  that  it  meant  somethtag. 
Probably  Nell  would  appeal  to  her  for  protec- 
tion, and  a  grim,  almost  aged,  expression  ssnept 
over  the  beautiful  face. 

<      "  It 's  too  early  to  retire  now, "  implored  Wai- 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 


tei?.  "Jhist  stay  here  and  drink  to  all 
and  happiness." 

Nell  stood  upon  her  feet  as  she  saw  her  uncle 
rising  to  go. 

"Uncle,  you  promised  that  you  would  stay 
with  me  if  I  would  accept  this  supper  engage- 
ment with  your  friends.  You  must  not  leave 
me  down  here  alone,  for  it  is  going  to  storm,  and 
we  must  be  out  at  sea  now." 

"No,  we're  not,"  grimly  replied  Bedford^ 
swaggering  through  the  beautiful  saloon; 
"we're  not  half  an  hour's  ride  from  Coney  Isl- 
and. Mr.  Hilton  is  your  host  ;  ask  him  when  it 
is  time  for  you  to  retire.  It's  mine  now." 

"I  just  want  to  talk  to  you  a  moment,"  plead- 
ed Walter  of  Nell,  as  the  door  closed  upon  Bed- 
ford and  Hortense;  "just  long  enough  to  tell 
you  how  much  -  " 

"You  promised  me,  Walter  Hilton,  upon  your 
sacred  word  of  honor,  that  you  would  not 
breathe  one  single  word  to  me  alone,  and  here 
you  have  sent  them  all  away." 

"But  you  can  forgive  me  for  my  love  for  you, 
can't  you?"  demanded  Hilton.  "If  I  love  you, 
then,  so  be  it.  I  will  have  just  021*  kiss." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL* 


The  man's  breath  was  reeking  wilh 
His  face  was  close  to  Nell's.    Suddenly  she 
bounded  up  and  out  onto  the  deck.    It  was  the*e 
that  Ike  first  caught  sight  of  her.    He  knew  that  , 
she  needed  him.    Walter  was  close  on  her  heels. 

"I  only  wanted  you  right  here,"  said  he  in 
her  ear.  "Your  death  at  sea  will  end  all  my 
troubles." 

Nell  had  her  hand  on  a  lifeboat,  but  Walter 
caught  her  before  she  could  put  her  effort  into 
effect. 

"No,  you  don't,"  growled  the  man.  "I  am 
here  ready  to  deal  with  you.  And  before  yon 
die  I  want  to  tell  you  this,  that  I  know  your 
mother,  that  she  lives  and  longs  for  you,  and 
that  is  the  reason  you  must  die." 

"That  is  the  reason  she  won't  die,"  cried  a 
voice  at  Hilton's  elbow,  and  Ike  was  pointing 
into  the  face  of  Hilton  a  piece  of  cold  steel  which 
30at  a  shiver  through  the  man's  whole  being. 

Nell  cut  the  ropes  of  the  lifeboat  and  franti- 
€ally  lowered  it  into  the  water.  Then  she  sprang 
in,  and  as  Ike  was  about  to  follow  her  Hilton 
tried  to  catch  him  by  the  arm. 
I     The  revolver  unloaded  its  contents,  by  acci- 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  QLOAK   MODEL. 

dent  or  otherwise,  into  the  villain's  hand,  and, 
thinking  bnt  of  his  pain,  he  allowed  his  prisoner 
and  her  rescuer  to  .jpll  away.  When  a  boatman, 
Blake,  ran  out  at  the  sound  of  the  shot  and  saw 
that  his  master  was  worsted,  he  tried  to  stay 
the  escape  of  the  small  boat  by  lowering  another 
and  following. 

But  Ike  was  ready  for  almost  anything.  He 
again,  with  grim  decision,  raised  his  gun  and 
fired,  and  the  man  Blake  fell  into  the  dark  water, 
and  the  two,  Nell  and  Ike,  noticed  that  Hilton 
did  not  even  look  after  his  accomplice.  They 
were  out  on  the  water,  tossing  in  the  winter 
wind,  and  Nell  asked  that  she  might  row  to  keep 
warm,  and  through  the  night  they  steered  their 
craft  toward  the  lights  of  Coney,  Island. 


164       NELIflE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK  MODEL 


XL 


THREE  months  have  passed  since  ttur 
escape  of  Nellie,  and  none  of  her  friends  bad 
seen  her  from  the  time  that  she  bad  left  her 
home  in  the  cab  of  Walter  Hilton.  However, 
Ike  cleared  the  rich  man  from  suspicion  as  to 
her  disappearance,  saying  that  he  had  landed 
with  the  girl  on  the  Island,  and  that  he  had  left 
her  to  seek  her  home. 

Through  all  the  weary  weeks  that  had  passed 
her  friends  —  Tom,  who  was  now  about  again  ^ 
Jack  Carroll,  Polly  and  Ike  —  spent  most  of  their 
time  searching  for  the  girl.  Even  the  city  had 
taken  up  the  matter,  and  every  policeman  was 
ordered  to  look  for  a  beautiful  cloak  model  who 
had  disappeared  some  three  months  before. 

Jack  Carroll  had  never  suffered  so  much  in 
all  his  life.  He  could  not  believe  that  Nell  had 


NELL&E,    THE!   BSAUTiFtffL  CLOAK   MODEL,. 

destroyed  her  life,  nor  could  he  be  persuaded 
that  she  was  living  as  she  should  not.  His  heart 
ached  for  his  darling,  for  the  only  woman  he  had 
ever  loved,  and  sometimes  at  night,  when  think- 
ing of  her,  wondering  what  might  have  hap- 
pened to  her  during  her  absence,  his  pillow 
would  be  wet  with  tears,  and  sorrow  kept  his 
midnight  vigils  filled  with  awful  thoughts  and 
dread. 

His  friendship  with  Tom  bad  strengthened 
with  the  passing  weeks,  and  now  the  little  fellow 
felt  that  hislMy  hope  was  in  the  big  inventor. 

"  'Tisn't  much  use  to  look  any  longer, "  said 
the  child  one  morning  in  the  early  spring, 
"  'cause  she's  dead,  Jack,  or  she  wouldn't  stay 
away  from  me  so  long." 

Jack  shook  his  head  and  answered : 

" Don't  talk  like  that,  old  man.  I  can't  have 
it  so.  So  positive  am  I  that  she  lives  that  I  shall 
go  on  forever  before  giving  her  up." 

Little  Tom  looked  admiringly  at  his  friend. 

"If  I  were  as  strong  as  you  are,"  replied  he, 
"then  I  might  have  the  same  courage.  But 
where  is  she,  if  she  is  alive — that's  what  I  want 
to  know?  Father  said  this  morning  that  the 


NRJJL3B,   THE   BEAUTIFUL*  CLOAK   MODKL, 

chief  of  polico  had  taken  his  men  off  the  case* 
for  they  had  lost  hope,  also.   Where  is  she  ? ' ' 

"Somewhere,  living,"  replied  Jack,  confi- 
dently; "and  every  day  I  shall  look  for  her  until 
I,  too,  am  confident  that  she  is  dead.  She  can't 
be  dead,  Tom — that's  all  there  is  about  it." 

Tom  said  no  more,  and  they  sat  in  silence^ 
each  busy  with  his  own  thoughts,  and  both  try- 
ing to  unravel  the  awful  mystery  of  NelPs  dis- 
appearance. 

******* 

In  another  part  of  the  city  Walter  Hilton  was 
talking  with  Hortense.  The  man  had  lost  his 
good  looks,  and  Hortense  noticed  that  he  was 
not  as  well  groomed  as  usual. 

"You've  been  drinking,  haven't  you,  Wal- 
ter?" she  questioned,  sitting  on  the  arm  of  his 
chair  and  pulling  back  his  head  so  that  she  could 
look  into  his  eyes.  "Why  do  you  do  that,  dear? 
It  is  only  ruining  your  health." 

' '  I  know  it, ' '  was  the  moody  reply ; ' '  but  some- 
times I  get  to  thinking  about  that  girl?  and  it 
almost  drives  me  crazy.  I  would  give  half  of  all 
I  ever  expect  to  get  to  know  that  she  is  dead  or — 
living. " 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  GLOAK   MODEL,.        JflJ* 

Hortense  looked  deep  into  his  eyes. 

"You  have  not  grown  to  love  her?"  she  asked 
suspiciously. 

' '  Bah ! ' '  exclaimed  the  irritable  man.  ' '  Don  % 
for  the  love  of  heaven,  provoke  me  into  swear- 
ing at  you.  My  only  fear  is  that  she  will  come 
forward  out  of  the  past  some  time  and  accuse 
me  of  what  I  have  tried  to  do;  and  I  was  fool 
enough  to  tell  her  that  she  had  a  mother  living., 
who  was  longing  and  looking  for  her.  A  thought 
that  has  been  with  me  constantly  is  that  she  may 
be  hunting  on  the  quiet  for  her  mother." 

"She  couldn't  keep  away  from  Tom  long- 
enough  to  do  that,"  replied  Hortense.  "No,, 
dear,  I  think  she  is  dead.  At  first  I  didn't,  but 
now  I  do.  What  does  your  aunt  say?" 

"She  has  cooled  down  a  little.but  nevertheless, 
she  informed  me  to-night  that  I  had  just  two 
months  to  produce  that  girl.  I  can't  do  that,  as 
you  know,  even  if  she  were  found.  At  any  time 
now  that  she  should  spring  up  I  would  have  to 
make  away  with  her  to  insure  any  kind  of  a  fu- 
ture for  myself.  You  see  that.  I  have  simply- 
lost  my  hold— that's  all." 


NBkL*E,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 


spent  the  evening  reassuring  the 
man  and  trying  to  pull  him  together. 

******* 

One  evening,  when  the  spring  was  endeavor- 
ing to  struggle  from  the  grasp  of  winter  and  the 
rain  was  falling  fast,  a  girl,  weak  and  tottering, 
coald  be  seen  walking  along  Broadway.  She 
seemed  undetermined  just  what  to  do  and  where 
to  go.  When  Twenty-third  street  was  reached 
she  walked  through  and  reached  Sixth  avenue 
after  a  struggle. 

"I  wonder  if  I  could  find  him?"  she  said  at 
fast,  in  a  low  tone,  her  eyes  roving  up  and  down. 
"I'm  so  weak  yet  that  I  can  hardly  stand.  Let 
me  see  if  I  can  remember  the  number.  Her' 
name  was  Mrs.  McTish  —  that  I  know.  Why,  I 
believe  I  am  going  the  wrong  way." 

Of  course,  this  little,  trembling  maiden  out 
in  the  storm,  whose  mother  would  have  given 
much  to  have  found  her,  was  Nell,  our  beautiful 
'cloak  model,  but  now  having  lost  some  of  the 
radiant  beauty  that  nature  had  endowed  her 
with. 

Suddenly  she  came  face  to  face  with  another 
woman  and  stood  staring  at  her. 


NELLIE,    THE   BBAUTfFtfL  CLOAK    MODEL. 

The  other  stopped  also,  and  for  a  moment  re- 
garded the  tattered  girl  in  amazement. 

"  Yon  are  ill,  child,"  said  a  kindly  voice,  "and  | 
somehow  your  face  seems  so  familiar  to  me  that 
I  am  sure  I  have  seen  you  before.'7 

"I'm  sick,"  replied  Nell.  "I've  just  come 
firom  the  hospital.  I  must  have  been  there  many 
waeeks,  for  when  I  went  in  I  remember  it  was 
winter.  Now  it  is  spring,  isn't  it?" 

mYes,"  replied  the  woman;  "nearly  so,  any- 
way. I  want  to  help  you.  You  need  money, 
child,  and  I  think  you  had  better  come  home 
me  for  to-night." 

Nell  shook  her  head. 

"I  can't,"  said  she.    "I  would  like  it  well, 
I  am  looking  for  some  one  I  love." 

"So  am  I,"  replied  Mrs.  Horton,  for  truly  it 
was  she.  "I  have  somewhere  in  this  world  a 
HCffle  child,  and  I  cannot  find  her." 

**And  I  have  a  mother,  too,"  answered  Nell, 
'"'whom  I  cannot  find."  And  here  she  shivered 
violently,  for  the  spring  rain  had  penetrated  her 
elothes.  "I  shall  never  find  her  now,"  she 
aa,  "for  I  am  too  ragged,  too  homely.  S&e  \ 
not  want  ine. ' ' 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK    5ZGD&U 

She  was  crying,  in  her  weakness,  in  little, 
catchy  sobs.  Her  arms  were  folded  under  the 
small  shawl  wrapped  abont  her.  Impulsively 
Mrs.  Horton  placed  her  hand  on  her  arm. 

"If  you  know  where  your  mother  is,  child,  go 
to  her,  for  mothers  do  not  care  whether  their 
dear  ones  are  ragged,  dirty,  or  in  distress.  Take 
this  money,  now,  and  keep  on  looking  for  your 
dear  one,  and,  if  you  find  her,  creep  into  the 
peace  you  will  find  in  her  bosom  for  you." 

Nell  was  gazing  after  her  now,  standing  under 
a  lamp,  and  as  the  rays  glimmered  down  upon 
the  white,  upturned  face,  the  girl  said : 

"If  my  mother  were  like  you,  then  I  would 
search  the  world  over  for  her." 

She  walked  along  through  the  rain,  hardly 
realizing  that  she  had  warmth  clutched  between 
her  fingers.  If  she  had  sought  a  refuge  then,, 
much  of  the  tragedy  that  fell  to  her  afterward 
would  have  been  avoided. 

She  never  knew  whether  it  was  mentality  that 
attracted  her  uncle  to  her,  or  not,  but  as  abe 
entered  Herald  Square  she  eaane  face  to  face 
with  him,  and  his  start  convinced  her  that  he 
recognized  her,  although  atter  a  moment  he 


NELLIE,   1HE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

turned  his  head  away.  He  was  ashamed  of  the 
girl  who  had  worked  her  fingers  almost  to  the 
bone  in  the  past  for  him. 

Nell  came  forward  hastily. 

" Uncle,"  she  said  quickly,  "I  want  to  know 
(where  Tom  is.  Will  you  tell  me?" 

In  her  excitement  her  fingers  loosened  from 
the  money  and  it  fell  upon  the  walk,  the  man 
snatching  it  up  eagerly. 

4 ' It  is  mine,  uncle,"  she  cried,  holding  out  her 
hand,  '  *  and  all  I  have.  Give  it  to  me. ' ' 

Humanity  would  have  forced  the  man  to  act 
opposite  from  what  he  did  if  he  had  had  a  heart. 
But,  not  possessing  such  an  organ,  he  called  a 
policeman  and  had  the  girl  arrested.  He  knew 
that  one  of  his  companions  coming  up  in  the 
rear  would  take  charge  of  her. 

Walter  Hilton's  eyes  glistened  as  he  saw  NelL 
She  was  just  the  one  he  was  looking  for.  Mak- 
ing peace  with  the  officer,  he  took  Nell's  arm, 
telling  her  kindly  that  he  would  take  her  to  Torn, 
)and  that  it  was  unkind  of  her  uncle  to  so  mis- 
treat her.  With  almost  a  thankful  feeling  in  her 
heart,  the  girl  went  with  him,  and  then  and  there 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAUTIFUL   CLOAK   MODEL. 

began  the  persecution  of  the  beautiful  cloak 
model. 

Not  keeping  his  word  to  her,  Hilton  took  her^ 
by  force  into  the  back  room  of  one  of  the  resorts 
on  Sixth  avenue,  demanding  that  she  be  given 
&  room  there,  and  saying  that  he  would  come 
for  her  later.  She  was  to  be  kept  under  lock  and 
key,  was  the  edict  that  he  left.  Then  he  went 
after  Hortense,  and  again  they  started  to  wreck 
the  life  of  Nellie  Grey. 

"You  are  sure  she  is  here?"  asked  the  fore- 
woman of  Nelson's  store,  as  they  entered  the 
music  hall. 

"Sure  of  it,"  replied  Walter.  "And,  what's 
more,  she  is  going  to  be  lovely  enough  to  make 
a  hit  for  us  both.  She  will  shine  in  diamonds 
and  fine  cloth  as  she  could  never  have  done  be- 
fore. She  has  been  in  an  uptown  hospital  and 
lost  all  her  hair,  which  has  come  out  again,  leav- 
ing her  head  covered  with  soft  baby  curls.  She 
is  very  beautiful,  you  will  think." 

"I  warned  you  once,"  said  Hortense,  "not  to 
say  that  to  me.  I  warn  you  again." 

During  the  next  few  days  life  took  on  a 
.strange  aspect  for  the  cloak  motlel.  Nell  was 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

,  living  almost  in  a  dream.  She  simply  fell  into 
4  the  trap  set  for  her  by  her  enemies,  and  almost 
before  she  knew  it  herself  she  was  sitting  in  the 
glittering  parlor  of  the  music  hall,  a  sad  smile 
resting  upon  her  beautiful  lips,  but  glad,  thank- 
ful, to  be  warm  and  free.  Although,  if  she  had 
only  known  it,  she  was  not  so  free  as  she 
thought. 

Every  night  before  going  to  bed  she  said  her 
usual  prayer,  and  then  promised  heaven  that  the 
next  day  she  would  leave  and  go  home  to  find 
Tom. 

One  evening  she  sat  alone  in  the  corner,  as 
yet  having  refused  to  sell  the  drinks  served  to 
the  rabble  that  filled  the  place,  when  she  raised 
her  eyes  and  found  another  pair,  strangely  fa- 
miliar, bent  upon  her.  She  lifted  her  hand  as  if 
to  ward  off  a  blow  and  gave  a  start  from  her 
seat. 

In  an  instant  Jack  Carroll  was  at  her  side. 
"You!"  gasped  Jack,  taking  her  hands  and 
almost  crushing  them  in  his  fingers.    "I  have 
found  you  at  last,  and  in  such  a  place  as  this  t 
Nellie  Grey,  how  dared  you!" 


NEbUE,  THE   BEAUTIFUL  OLOAK  MO0EU 

For  a  moment  words  froze  upon  the  girPs 
lips. 

"I  have  been  so  sick,  Jack,"  she  said  wearily, 
as  if  faith  and  hope  had  forsaken  her.  "I  could 
not  find  you,  nor  Tom,  and  they  brought  me 
here.  Are  you  not  a  little  glad  to  see  me? ' ' 

The  boy  bent  over  her,  his  breath  coming  in 
great  sobs. 

1  '  Glad,  glad  ? ' '  he  said  slowly.  ' '  Glad  to  find 
you  here?  I  would  rather  have  buried  you!  I 
would  rather  have  died  at  your  side !  You  are 
beautiful,  yes,  very  beautiful,  but  you  are 
wicked/' 

"Jack" — and  Nellie  Grey  cried  out  the  agony 
af  her  heart  before  him — "you  are  wronging 
jsne.  I  have  taken  these  beautiful  things  from 
$im>  and  he  says  be  brought  me  here  to  make 
jtne  forget  about  my  life.  I  am  free  to  go  as  soon 
as  I  am  strong  enough,  and  I  shall." 

Jack  sneered  visibly. 

"He  is  a  villain,"  he  responded,  "the  great- 
est villain  in  all  New  York,  and  you  are  trusting 
him,  after  he  has  tried  to  take  your  life  and 
honor  at  least  fifiree  times.  I  say  you  are 
glamored  by  his  attentions,  and  the  Nellie  I 


NELLIE,   THE    BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

knew  and  loved  once  will  never  be  anything  to 
me  again  as  long  as  I  live.'1 

Nellie  was  watching  him  moodily.  Had  she 
not  the  promise  of  Walter  to  have  her  little 
•cousin  operated  upon  and  cured  of  his  lameness, 
and  was  she  not  to" see  Tom  the  next  day?  What 
more  could  she  ask?  True,  she  hated  with  the 
bitterest  feeling  the  place  she  was  in,  but  it  was 
in  the  truce  she  had  made  with  Walter  that  she 
should  stay  there  for  two  weeks,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  she  should  be  with  Tom. 

The  girl  was  too  weak  to  reason  out  the  mo- 
tive Hilton  had  for  demanding  all  this  of  her, 
but  she  had  acquiesced  to  escape  her  uncle  and 
to  save  little  Tom.  As  she  told  all  this  to  Jack 
Oarroll  he  softened  under  her  misery. 

"Jack,"  she  cried,  "if  it  were  not  for  Tom  I 
would  go  with  you  now.  I  hate  all  this  glitter, 
and  these  hateful  things  I  wear." 

Jack  leaned  over  her  and  took  her  hands  in 
Ms  just  as  Walter  Hilton  came  in  with  his  usuai 
dress  suit  and  swagger.  His  eye  lighted  up  with 
rage  as  he  saw  who  was  with  Nell.  There  en- 
sued then  one  of  the  worst  scenes  that  had  ever 
happened  to  asty  girl  on  Broadway.  She  insisted 


17S       NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

upon  going  with  her  lover,  tearing  off  her  jewels 
and  throwing  them  in  Walter's  face. 

Walter  entered  a  complaint  against  poor  Jack 
and  paid  the  policeman  well,  and  the  lad  was. 
rushed  off  to  jail,  leaving  the  girl  to  her  fate. 

Nell's  head  whirled  in  great  excitement,  and, 
as  her  mind  was  not  clear  upon  the  past  happen- 
ings of  the  day,  she  readily  gave  her  consent  to 
go  with  Walter  anywhere  he  should  take  her,  for 
Jack  was  gone,  and  she  was  so  tired. 

But  merciful  Heaven  had  a  hand  in  her  move- 
ments. Just  as  she  had  wrapped  her  beautiful 
head  in  the  rich  mantle  Walter  had  prepared  for 
her  she  saw  standing  before  her,  leaning  on  his 
crutches,  and  with  infinite  love  shining  from  his 
eyes,  little  Tom,  her  darling,  her  more  than 
brother. 

"I  have  come  for  you,  Nell,"  he  said  slowly, 
>and  opened  his  arms,  and  even  the  policemen 
turned  away  with  tears  in  their  eyes  as  the  giri 
clung  passionately  to  the  cripple. 

She  turned  upon  the  officers. 

* l  The  man  that  one  of  your  number  took  away 
to-night  was  the  best  friend  I  have  in  all  tibe 
world.  After  him,  this  child  is  next  to  me. 


NELLIE,    THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

mand  from  you  protection  from  these  people*, 
wiit)  have  constantly  persecuted  me  for  months^ 
Game,  Tom,  I  want  to  go  home  with  you." 

And  go  with  him  she  did.  The  distraction 
by  Walter  and  Hortense  was  shown  upoaa 
faees  as  they  watched  the  girl  and  lame  boy  go 
out  together.  They  dared  not  make  trouble  for 
fear  Nell  would  have  them  arrested,  and  they- 
could  not  just  then  put  their  hands  upon  Bed- 
ford, for  he  was  drunk  somewhere,  no  doubt. 
If  Bedford  had  been  there  the  tables  would  have> 
been  turned  upon  Nell,  for  she  would  only  come- 
to  terms  when  she  saw  the  lame  boy 


After  that  Hilton  sought  out  Bedford,  finding; 
Mm  in  one  of  his  usual  resorts,  and  said  to  him, 
a  thing  that  forever  afterward  he  was  sorry  for,. 

"You  drunken  dog,  don't  you  know  that 
youVe  gotten  us  into  a  terrible  mess?  If  you. 
had  been  thore  I  wouldn't  have  lost  my  hold 
trp#n  that  girl.  I  told  you  to  hang  around,  and 
threaten  the  boy  cm«e  in  a  while,  but  all  yom 
care  for  is  drink,  drink,  cursed  drink !" 

"Afl  there  is  in  life,"  hiccoughed  Bedford,, 


"178       NELLIE,   THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

grinning.  * '  Come,  old  pal,  have  the  goodness  to 
buy  me  a  drink. ' ' 

"Look  here,"  shouted  Hilton,  "I  want  to  tell 
you  something.  "I  don't  believe  that  you  half 
know  what  I  mean  when  I  say  we  are  in  a  mix- 
up.  The  girl's  gone  with  your  brat,  after  I  had 
told  her  that  he  was  in  the  Jiospital  getting  care. 
Now,  what  are  you  going  to  do! " 

"Take  another  drink,"  replied  Bedford,  hold- 
ing out  his  finger  to  a  waiter. 

"Another  kick,"  snapped  Walter,  giving  Bed- 
ford a  vicious  thrust.  "Haven't  you  the  com* 
man  sense  to  know  that  if  that  girl  gives  us 
away  we  are  gone?  The  only  hold  we  have  oa 
her  is  the  brat.  What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"Ask  you  for  another  hundred,"  replied  Bed- 
ford, insultingly;  "just  one  more  hundred,  to 
have  a  good  time  on.  And  right  now,  too,  if  you 
desire  me  to  help  you  with  that  girl." 

"I  want  that,  all  right,"  put  in  Hilton.  "But 
when  will  you  go  to  Nell?" 

"As  soon  as  you  tell  me  why  you  are  so  anx- 
ious to  have  that  girl  out  of  your  way.  I  can 
say  right  here  that  I  am  not  so  much  in  love  witU 


tfELLXE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  GLOAK   MOGEL,. 

iier  tKat  I  wouldn't  do  anj^tfeing  against  her 
for  motiey.  But  I  work  no  longer  in  the  dark.*7 

Walter  took  in  the  bulky  figure  from  head  to 
foot.  He  wondered  if  the  man  wouldn't  be  a 
better  support  if  he  did  know  the  need  of  having 
'Nell  out  of  the  way. 

"I'll  tell  you,"  replied  he,  uttering  the  words 
for  which  afterward  he  could  have  bitten  out 
'his  tongue.  "I'll  tell  you  if  you  swear  that  you 
will  not  tell  about  it.  Your  niece  is  the  only 
daughter  of  my  aunt,  Mrs.  Horton,  and  they 
mnst  not  know  of  the  relationship," 


180        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFd*  CJLOAf&I   MODE&, 


CHAPTER  XIL 

BEDFORD  was  never  more  sober  in  his  life  thanr 
just  when  he  heard  those  words.  Then  Nell  was 
worth  something,  after  all,  and  there  flashed 
into  his  inind  that  a  mother  would  give  more 
money  for  a  newly  found,  beautiful  daughter 
than  this  man  sitting  before  him. 

"I'll  not  tell,"  he  muttered,  after  a  swift  mo- 
ment of  thinking.  "But  why  don't  you  want 
them  to  know  each  other?" 

Thoughtlessly  Walter  told  the  whole  story. 

Then  Bedford  said : 

"My  dear  fellow,  don't  you  think  it  is  worth 
more  money  than  a  paltry  few  thousands  for 
me  to  help  you  into  millions?" 

Hilton's  jaw  dropped  suddenly.  He  saw  his 
mistake ;  but  he  had  always  dealt  with  this  fel- 
low in  hundreds,  and  he  would  not  now  raise  his 
price.  He  would,  however,  allow  Bedford  to 


NELLIE,    THE    BEAU^FUL   ©LOAK    MODEL. 

think  that  he  was  going  to  accede  to  all  of  his 
demands. 

"You  know  you've  simply  got  to  get  hold  of 
that  girl,  Bedford,  and  that  darn  quick.  If  you 
don't,  she'll  squeeze  the  whole  bunch,  and  if  she 
does,  I  guess  you  and  I  will  both  go  without 
money. ? ' 

This  roused  Bedford  and  he  went  out  with  his 
companion. 

******* 

In  the  meantime  Nell  was  hurrying  along  the 
street  as  fast  as  little  Tom  could  go.  She  was 
going  after  Jack,  to  have  him  liberated.  When 
she  reached  the  station-house  she  was  told  by 
the  magistrate  that  Jack  would  be  held  for  trial 
the  next  day ;  but  when  the  girl  told  the  simple 
truth,  her  lover  was  released,  to  come  of  his 
own  accord  the  following  morning. 

How  happy  these  three  young  people  now 
were  no  pen  or  words  can  describe. 

"I  am  ashamed  to  look  you  in  the  face,  dear 
Jack, ' '  exclaimed  Nell,  as  Jack  placed  her  in  a 
cab  and  took  a  seat  beside  her  and  Tom.  "I 
liave  been  mad.  You  see,  I  thought  that  Tom 
was  being  cared  for.  Oh,  poor  little  man,  if  you 


182        NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MOIXEJL. 

were  only  ray  very  own  brother,  I  would  take 
you  away  from  him." 

"I  will  be  your  brother,  Nell,"  replied  the 
small  chap.  "  I  ?m  going  to  run  away  from  fath- 
er and  live  with  you  and  Jack  when  you  get  mar- 
ried— may  I!" 

"Of  course  you  may,"  was  Jack's  reply. 
"There,  now,  we  are  going  to  have  this  thing 
out  with  those  people.  Your  life  shall  not  be 
placed  in  jeopardy  any  longer.  Nell,  can  you 
think  of  any  reason  why  Hilton  should  bear  you 
a  grudge!" 

"Yes,"  replied  Nell.  "He  said  to  me,  when 
he  thought  I  was  going  to  die,  that  he  knew  my 
mother,  and  it  was  to  keep  me  from  her  that  he 
was  trying  to  put  me  out  of  the  way." 

"The  dirty  scoundrel!"  muttered  Jack.  "I 
ought  to  horsewhip  him — that's  what  I  ought 
to  do." 

"But  you  won't  do  that,"  pleaded  Nellie; 
"for  don't  you  know  that  he  would  take  you 
'from  me,  and  you  might  be  put  in  prison?  We'll 
be  happy,  and  in  the  meantime  find  out  who  nay 
mother  is." 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEL. 

If  Nellie  had  only  known  it  then,  the  fact  that 
lier  uncle  had  decided  to  tell  Mrs.  Horton  of  her 
daughter  would  have  made  her  happier.  But 
for  the  beautiful  cloak  model  there  were  yet 
many  happenings. 

Walter  and  Hortense  used  every  means  to 
tear  her  from  the  grasp  of  Jack.  Bedford  had 
not  yet  decided  to  give  the  girl  over  to  her 
mother,  as  he  was  getting  much  money  from 
Hilton.  But  fate  had  a  surer  way  of  bringing 
Nellie  into  her  own. 

She  had  been  staying  with  Jack's  mother,  who 
had  come  to  the  city  with  her  young  daughter 
to  keep  house  for  her  son,  who  was  now  climbing 
the  ladder  of  fame. 

Little  Tom  was  with  them  also.  One  morning: 
lae  was  out  playing  in  front  of  the  house,  when 
an  automobile  dashed  up,  and  some  one  snatched 
the  child  and  was  off  with  him  before  Nellie, 
who  heard  his  cry,  could  come  to  his  rescue. 
'Twas  Walter  Hilton's  idea  to  kidnap  the  boy 
to  again  get  a  hold  upon  the  girl. 

Again  the  story  would  have  to  be  told  over — 
the  horrible  heart-burnings  of  the  faithful  cloak 


NISULIB,   THE    BEAUTIFUL.   CLOAK    MODES* 


it  not  been  for  Bedford,  who  was 
now  taking  matters  in  his  own  hands. 

The  morning  after  the  capture  of  Tom  tliej 
"mam.  presented  himself  at  the  mansion  of  Mrs. 
Horton,  whose  summer  home  was  but  a  short 
distance  from  New  York.  She  always  went  from 
the  eity  early,  getting  better  health  from  the 
pure  spring  air. 

She  had  the  man  ushered  into  her  room,  and 
said  : 

**I  believe  you  sent  a  message  by  the  butler, 
didn't  you,  that  you  have  something  of  impor- 
tance to  tell  me?" 

"I  have  that,  ma'am,"  replied  Bedford.  "1 
am  William  Eolland  Bedford." 

For  a  moment  Bedford  thought  the  woman 
"was  going  to  faint. 

^Tiien  you  know  something  of  my  daugh- 
ter?" she  asked  in  a  low  voice. 

"Yes,  ma'am,  I  do,  and  I've  come  to  know 
ibw  much  money  you  will  give  me  if  I  turn  her 
to  you." 

Mrs.  Horton   eyed  the  blear-eyed   stranger 
disdain.    Her  voice  rang  with  emotion  as 


THE   BEAWSFUC,  OfcOAK   MOOBk. 

"It  is  not  the  question  of  money,  sir,  btrt  of 
my  getting  back  my  daughter." 

"To  me  it  means  money,"  said  the  man.  "I 
am  willing  to  return  the  girl  to  you,  knowing 
that  you  want  her,  if  you  will — well,  if  you  will 
give  me  enough  money  to  live  on  the  rest  of  my 
natural  life.". 

"How  much  money  do  you  want?"  asfeed 
Mrs.  Horton;  "tell  me  immediately." 

"Ten  thousand  dollars,"  replied  Bedford, 
looking  keenly  at  the  woman. 

She  nodded  her  head,  but  did  not  reply  for  a 
moment,  as  tears  choked  her  utterance. 

"I  will  give  you  twice  that  amount  if  you  will 
give  me  that  child." 

Bedford  went  away,  his  head  swimming  with 
the  vision  of  so  much  money  coming  to  him,  and 
making  him  feel  elated. 

He  sent  a  letter  to  Nell  containing  these 

j  words,  which  he  was  careful  to  print,  for  he  did 

I  not  wish  to  have  Hilton  know  that  he  had  had 

anything  to  do  with  the  girl  being  restored  to1 

her  mother's  arms : 


136       I^EM^E,   THE   BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK   MODEU 

"Miss  Nell  6rey: 

"If  you  will  go  to  Horton  Manor  and  inquire 
for  your  mother,  you  will  find  her,  also  the  boy 
that  was  stolen  from  you  a  few  days  ago.  It 
^rill  be  just  as  well  not  to  mention  this  to  any 
enemies  of  yours,  should  you  come  in  contact 
with  them.  I  am  a  friend  of  yours. ' ' 

When  Nell  read  this  letter  she  could  not  wait 
until  the  next  day  to  go  to  her  mother,  although 
she  did  not  dream  that  Mrs.  Norton  was  the 
woman.  She  also  was  desirous  to  get  little  Tom, 
who  she  feared  would  be  badly  treated  by  Hil- 
ton, for  the  girl  was  sure  that  Hortense  and  her 
uncle,  with  the  millionaire,  had  had  somethii*^ 
to  do  with  the  disappearance  of  her  cousin. 

Jack  was  only  too  anxious  to  relieve  the  mind 
of  his  darling,  so  went  with  her  to  the  manor 
that  night. 

There  they  found  the  little  lame  boy  locked 
in  the  gardener's  closet,  and  Nellie  found  some- 
thing  far  dearer  than  even  little  Tom  could  be. 

She  spurned  the  demand  of  Hortense,  who 
was  with  Tom,  to  keep  her  hands  from  the  child,, 
and  with  the  aid  of  Jack  rescued  the  little  lad. 


NELLIE,   THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK  MODEL, 

Then  Tom  told  hear  the  astounding  news — she 
the  daughter  of  Hilton's  aunt*    They  went 
to  the  mansion,  which  had  been  closed  for  the 
night,  and,  through  loud  ringing  of  bells,  Mrs.Mr 
Horton  was  aroused. 

Nell  stood  before  h^r,  not  daring  to  give  away 
her  identity  for  fear  of  repudiation. 

"  You  wished  to  see  me,  child?  Let  me  see- 
where  have  I  seen  you  before?" 

Little  Tom  piped  up : 

"She's  the  cloak  model  from  Nelson's,  and 
she's  your  child,  for  my  father,  William  Holland 
Bedford,  had  her  since  she  was  a  baby.  And  I 
heard  Mr.  Hilton  tell  that  old  cat,  Miss  Draker 
that  you  wanted  to  see  your  girl,  and  I  brought 
lier  to  you." 

Little  Tom  had  never  been  so  happy  before. 
He  hobbled  toward  Mrs.  Horton  and  placed  his 
fingers  on  her  arm. 

"You  won't  take  her  from  me?"  he  pleaded, 
and  the  good  woman  took  him  in  her  arms. 

There  was  little  sleeping  done  in  the  manor 
that  night,  for  even  more  than  the  reconciliation 
of  fee  mother  and  daughter  happened.  Bedford, 
in  a  drunken  fit,  gave  away  that  he  had  told  the 


NELLIE,   THE   BEAUTIFUL.  CLOAK   MODEL. 

mother  of  her  daughter's  identity,  and  Hilton, 
in  a  frenzy,  tried  to  kill  him;  but  the  row  ended 
in  death  for  Walter,  and  the  prison  bars  for 
both  Bedford  and  Hortense. 

*         *         ***** 

After  the  passing  of  her  enemies,  Nell  settled 
down  to  a  happy  life.  The  morning  after  her 
marriage  with  Jack,  little  Tom  was  taken  to  the 
hospital  to  be  operated  upon,  after  the  surgeons 
had  given  it  as  their  opinion  that  such  an  oper- 
ation would  restore  the  boy  to  his  health. 

Polly  and  Ike  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  the 
manor  also,  and  the  girl  was  weeping  because 
Nell  was  going  away  upon  her  wedding  trip. 
The  mother  and  all  her  newly  found  friends  had 
kissed  Nell  good-bye,  and  the  carriage  was 
ready  to  take  the  young  couple  to  the  depot. 

"Good-bye,  good-bye, "  repeated  Nell.  "And 
I  shall  come  back  soon,  mother  dear." 

Nell  rested  back  in  the  carriage  in  the  arms 
of  her  husband  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
raised  her  face  to  his. 

"You  love  me  to-day  as  well  as  you  ever  have, 
Jack?" 

"More  every  day,  my  darKng.   But  I  will  say 


NELLfcE,   THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK  MODEL. 

and  BOW  that,  despite  £he  money  that  must 
come  to  you,  and  the  social  position  you  are 
bound  to  hold,  I  would  have  welcomed  you  the 
same  to  my  heart  o£  hearts  had  you  still  re- 
mained to  me  M»EME,  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CLOAK 

M0DSL/' 


THE  LETTERS  - 
OF  MILDRED'S  MOTHER  TO 
MILDRED. 

SATIRICAL  SKETCHES  OF  STAGE  LIFE. 

BY 

E.  D.  PRICE, 

("The  Man  Behind  the  Scenes.0) 


THESE  INGENUOUS  COMMUNICATIONS,  OP  A  STRICTLY  PRIVATE 
NATURE,    AND    INTENDED  TO   BE  PRIVILEGED,    ARE    AD- 
DRESSED   TO    AN    ARTLESS    GIRL    WHO    IS    LEADING 
THE  STRENUOUS  LIFE  IN  A  BROADWAY  CHORUS 
AND    ARE    CALCULATED    TO    INSPIRE  SOMB 
CURIOUS  CONJECTURE    AS  TO 

••WHAT  SORT  OF  WOMAN  WAS  MILDRED'S  MOTHER?" 


NEW  YORK  : 

/.  a  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY- 
67  ROSE  STREET, 


COPYMCttT,  190*. 
BY  THE  MORNING  TELEGRAPH* 


COPYRIGHT, 

'  J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY* 

ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


LETTERS  OF 
MILDRED'S  MOTHER  TO  MILDRED* 


LETTER  L 

MOTHER  AT  THE  RACES. 

CHICAGO,  7th  July, 
•DARLING  MILDRED: 

This  morning  about  twenty  minutes  to 
three  Blanche  and  I  were  hammering  at  the 
ladies'  entrance  of  the  hotel  for  the  night 
porter  to  come  down  and  let  us  in,  when  who 
should  happen  along  but  the  Colonel,  who  i» 
passing  through  here  on  his  way  from  Bos- 
ton to  look  over  his  mining  properties  in 
Montana. 
,  He  was  very  pleasant  and  was  carrying 


10  LETTERS  OF 

his  burden  with  great  dignity  and  decorunf, 
considering  the  hour  and  what  he  must  have 
been  through,  for  you  know,  Mildred,  that; 
a  man  at  his  time  of  life  has  not  the  resil- 
iency and  rebound  of  one  in  the  early  twen- 
ties. 

The  Colonel  was  quite  effusive  and  in- 
quired eagerly  if  you  were  playing  in  town* 
He  really  seemed  quite  saddened  when  I 
told  him  that  you  had  wisely  preferred  your! 
little  fifteen  per,  located  on  Broadway,  to| 
eighteen  on  the  road,  with  all  its  vexations! 
and  added  expenses. 

Nothing  would  do  but  that  Blanche  and 
I  must  accept  his  hospitality,  which  was  ceivj 
tainly  considerate  of  him,  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  he  already  betrayed  an  impediment  in 
his  speech  and  wavered  slightly  as  he< 
walked. 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  11 

There  was  a  little  place  near  by  where  the 

^  aidedoor  was  still  open,  a  very  respectable 

1  place  I  should  judge,  for  there  were  quite  a 

number  of  ladies  seated  at  the  round  tables. 

SPhe  Colonel  opened  a  large  bottle  and  spoke 

Tery  kindly  of  you.    It  seemed  to  annoy  him 

that  his  wife  had  signified  her  intention  of 

filing  a  bill,  and  he  appeared  curious  to 

know  how  many  co-respondents  she  would 

have  the  bad  taste  to  name. 

I  do  hope,  my  darling,  that  she  will  not  in- 
clude you.  It  would  be  so  vulgar,  although 
I  dare  say  it  might  help  you  to  obtain  a  little 
more  salary  next  season.  I  know  what  sac- 
rifices you  must  be  compelled  to  make,  dear, 
to  send  mamma  even  the  paltry  little  $10 
each  week  and  to  meet  your  own  meagre 
necessities  with  the  other  five  spot. 

Blanche  and  I  were  up  bright  and  early, 


12  LETTERS  OF 

in  time  for  luncheon,  and,  although  we  were 
not  the  least  bit  hungry,  a  couple  of  very ', 
dry  Martinis  enabled  each  of  us  to  dispose 
of  half  a  gem  melon  and  a  dainty  little  chop 
about  as  big  as  a  half  dollar,  made  appe- 
tizing by  a  fluted  tissue  paper  ruffle  around 
the  bone  end. 

In  fact,  we  had  plenty  of  time  to  dress  and 
enjoy  a  few  satisfying  whiffs  before  Major 
Culpepper,  of  Virginia,  who  has  a  stable  at 
the  track,  came  up  to  take  us  to  Washing- 
ton Park,  He  is  a  stately  old  gentleman, 
typical  of  the  ancient  Southern  regime,  with 
a  finely  colored  nose  of  the  noble  Roman 
type  that  resembles  a  roseate  horn  of  plenty. 

The  Major  is  a  fascinating  and  well  in- 
formed man,  and  has  a  charming  and  com- 
prehensive command  of  profane  expletive*, 
I  do  not  recall  that  I  ever  heard  any  one 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  13 

Swear  so  delightfully  and  with  such  fertility 

and  originality  of  expression  as  he  did  after. 

¥ 
the  third  race. 

He  had  been  playing  Robert  Waddell  for 
the  honor  of  his  native  State,  and,  of  course, 
we  all  had  a  small  bet  on.  Robert  Waddell, 
I  may  explain,  my  pet,  for  you  know  little 
of  such  matters,  is  a  sort  of  continuous  per- 
formance racehorse,  who  has  been  started 
every  day  since  he  won  the  Chicago  Derby, 
and  would  probably  have  been  started  by 
electric  light  if  they  held  night  events. 

The  Major  had  assured  me  that  it  was  a 
"cinch,"  whatever  that  may  be,  for  Robert 
Waddell,  but  while  the  crowd  was  surging 
toward  the  betting  ring  to  cash  in  on  Ad- 
vance Guard  he  mastered  his  emotion  suffi- 

/ 

ciently  to  explain  that  the  impost  had  been 
too  heavy.    I  do  not  yet  clearly  compre- 


14  LETTERS  OF 

hend  what  this  meant>  but  whatever  it  was 
it  cost  me  $7,  when  I  stood  to  win  even 
money. 

Blanche  was  more  fortunate.  She  was 
still  groping  in  her  stocking  for  the  small 
green  roll  when  the  red  flag  dropped.  For 
all  that  I  know  Robert  may  still  be  running 
gamely.  At  all  events  he  had  not  come  in 
when  the  bell  rang  for  the  next  race. 

Young  Mr.  D.  Chauncey  Carruthers? 
whose  papa  owns  extensive  stockyards  here 
and  who  is  being  educated  at  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  came  into  the  stand  and 
was  very  polite.  He  seemed  to  take  quite  a 
fancy  to  Blanche.  You  remember  him,  dear. 
He  is  the  youth  with  the  pimples  who  gave 
you  the  U.  of  P.  flag  that  you  have  twined 
along  with  the  Yale  and  Harvard  pennants 
over  the  crazy  corner. 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  15 

that  reminds  me,  Mildred,  that  I 
hope  you  are  always  particular  to  keep  the 
punk  burning  in  the  sand  filled  flower  pots 
when  you  have  callers.  It  gives  such  an 
Oriental  atmosphere  to  one's  apartments 
a,nd  is  an  evidence  of  a  refined  taste. 

But  as  I  was  saying  about  young  Car- 
ruthers.  He  was  really  quite  crushed  over 
the  defeat  of  his  crew  at  Henley,  yet  he  ral- 
lied enough  to  feebly  shout:  "Rah,  rah, 
Pennsy,"  and  to  remark  that  after  all  the 
result  would  tend  to  promote  good  feeling. 
On  the  part  of  England,  I  suppose  he  meant. 
The  Penn  boys  are  all  right — but.  You  re- 
member the  buts  that  Metternich  threw  at 
Bernhardt  as  the  Young  Eaglet,  although 
for  my  own  part  I  always  considered  Sara 
more  like  an  old  crow. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  we  cannot  all  of  us 


16  LETTERS  OF 

retain  perennial  youthfulness  and  charm* 
Safeguard  yours  zealously,  Mildred,  for  you 
may  be  compelled  to  stick  in  the  chorus  for 
another  twenty  years  to  come,  and  it  isn't 
\  every  girl  who  can  keep  her  shape  like 
Frankie  Bailey,  who  has  been  in  the  front 
row  goodness  knows  how  long — ever  since 
1492,  I  believe. 

Young  Mr.  Carruthers  has  courteously  in- 
vited us  to  visit  his  papa's  plant  and  see 
bow  cattle  are  killed  and  canned.  It  is 
something  like  a  slaughter  house,  I  think, 
although  Mr.  Carruthers  referred  to  it  as  an 
Abattoir.  The  influences  of  our  great  uni- 
versities are  so  refining. 

Had  heaven  ordained  that  you,  Mildred, 
should  have  been  born  a  boy  I  might  have, 
*ent  you  to  college.  Possibly  upon  mature 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  17 

and  careful  reflection  I  might  have  decided 
to  throw  you  off  the  dock.  j* 

After  the  races  we  came  down  in  a  sur- 
face car,  having  purposely  lost  Major  Cul- 
pepper  after  the  Waddell  tip.  We  had  tea 
in  the  Palm  room  of  the  Auditorium  An- 
nex, which  is  considered  quite  the  recherche 
thing  in  Chicago. 

The  Auditorium  Annex,  I  should  explain, 
is  not  to  be  confused  with  the  other  part  of 
the  caravansary.  That  is  called  the  Audito- 
rium proper.  It  is  quite  the  thing  among 
traveling  men  and  comedians  who  wish  to 
be  considered  wits,  to  refer  to  the  Annex  as 
the  Auditorium  improper,  but  nobody  ever 
laughs  and  the  reflection  is  certainly  un- 
warranted, or  Blanche  and  I  would  never 
have  gone  there. 

If  you  should  ever  visit  the  Palm  room  in 


18  LETTERS  OF 

the  Auditorium  improp — that  is  to  say,  tte 
Annex,  they  will  point  out  the  corner  where 

r 

Fay  Templeton  used  to  give  petite  soupers 
to  a  lady  friend.  It  is  considered  quite  a 
hallowed  spot  and  is  always  shown  O  coun- 
try visitors. 

Of  course  the  correct  thing  in  the  evening 
was  to  go  to  McVicker's  and  see  "Lovers* 
Lane."  We  had  been  disappointed  three 
times  because  we  couldn't  get  a  box.  I  was 
so  affected  when  the  young  minister  was 
driven  out  of  his  parish  that  I  had  to  use 
my  powder  puff  all  through  the  next  inter- 
mission and  I  am  positive  my  nose  was  that 
red  it  must  have  been  a  sight. 

The  pure  moral,  rustic  drama  always  ap- 
peals to  me  more  than  those  salacious 
French  farces  that  make  one  blush  clean 
through  the  makeup.  I  do  so  enjoy  a  play 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  19 

that  makes  one  cry  and  I  honestly  believe 
Clyde  Fitch  afforded  me  the  most  wholly 
satisfying  weep  I've  had  since  the  Judge 
wrote  you  that  crisp,  curt,  cruel  note  that 
he  was  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  market  and 
we  would  have  to  give  up  the  flat, 

Blanche  and  I  were  coming  out  of  the 
theatre  much  refreshed  in  spirit  by  the  tran- 
quillizing odor  of  apple  blossoms  and  de- 
termined upon  going  straight  home,  when 
with  whom  should  we  collide  in  the  lobby 
but  your  old  friend  Ikey  Isaacstein,  who  is 
out  here  making  a  book  on  the  races,  as  he 
explained. 

I  was  somewhat  confused,  as  I  did  not 
know  he  was  literary,  but  he  laughed  pleas- 
antly and  made  it  clear  that  it  was  some- 
thing to  do  with  wagers  of  chance  upon  the 
'relative  speed  of  the  various  contestants* 


30  LETTERS  OF. 

Despite  our  protests,  Mr.  Isaacstein 
dragged  us  off  to  Hector's,  which  is  very 
different,  Mildred,  from  the  Rector's  up 
Longacre  way,  where  I  permit  you  to  go  at 
times  when  properly  chaperoned.  It  is  con- 
sidered  quite  recherche  to  go  to  the  Chicago 
Rector's  and  eat  oyster  stew  in  July. 

One  lady  ordered  clams  au  naturel  and 
creme  de  menthe  and  looked  about  her 
proudly  and  defiantly,  as  much  as  to  say, 
"Oh,  I  can  be  a  sport."  But  to  one  like  my- 
self, accustomed  to  the  niceties  of  refine- 
ment in  our  older  and  more  aesthetic  East, 
it  seemed  to  me  to  be  bizarre  and  in  posi- 
tively bad  form. 

Being  temperate,  as  you  know,  in  all 
things,  dear  child,  I  requested  the  garcon  to 
bring  me  a  "Horse's  Neck,"  whereupon  he 
exhibited  confusion  and  uncertainty  and 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  21 

\  said  he  thought  they  were  just  out,  but  they, 
had  some  nice  pork  tenderloin. 

When  I  explained  that  it  was  a  long  glass 
of  imported  ginger  ale  with  lemon  peel 
curled  in  it  like  a  boa  constrictor,  and  just 
a  soupcon  of  brandy,  he  was  gone  a  long 
time  and  brought  me  the  domestic  article, 
without  ice,  and,  would  you  believe  it,  the 
idiot  had  actually  made  gin  the  basic  foun- 
dation of  the  liquid  structure! 

Of  course  I  had  to  pretend  that  it  was  de- 
licious, for  I  did  not  wish  to  embarrass  Mr. 
Isaacstein,  who  was  drinking  nothing  bufc 
beer,  but  I  was  terribly  annoyed. 

Quite  a  number  of  distinguished  people 
were  pointed  out  to  us>  including  George 
Ade,  the  famous  philosophical  humorist  He 
is  a  tall,  slender  young  man,  with  the  air  of 
a  divinity  student,  and,  oh,  such  a  sad,  ab* 


22  LETTERS  OP 

sentminded,  far  away  look.  It  must  be  sim- 
ply dreadful  to  have  to  think  up  funny 
things  when  the  drug  store  thermometer 
registers  100  in  the  shade  right  next  to  the 
soda  fountain  ice  box. 

Blanche  said  she  thought  Mr.  Ade  was 
just  lovely,  and  she  wanted  to  go  over  and 
speak  to  him  and  try  to  cheer  him  up  a  bit, 
but  we  persuaded  her  that  it  would  be  bad 
form.  Blanche  is  so  impulsive  and  uncon- 
Tentional. 

A  vulgar  person  from  Indianapolis  forced 
himself  into  our  little  party  on  the  strength 
of  having  made  wagers  with  Mr.  Isaacstein. 
He  was  very  rude.  I  was  telling  them  what 
a  perfectly  lovely  figure  you  had  in  tights 
when  the  Indianapolis  person — he  was  a 
furniture  dealer — made  a  vulgar  jest  about 
bureau  drawers  and  tried  to  pinch  me  under 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  23 

the  table.  I  was  compelled  to  change  seate 
with  Blanche,  who,  of  course,  does  not  have 
to  be  so  particular,  for  she  has  no  daughter? 
of  her  own. 

And  that  reminds  me,  Mildred,  that  your 
father  was  sitting  right  at  the  next  table. 
He  was  with  That  Creature,  but  very  po- 
litely left  her  and  came  over  and  uttered 
some  trivial  commonplaces  about  the  ex- 
treme heat  and  there  being  no  lake  breeze* 
The  Creature  glared  as  if  positively  jealous. 
It  was  so  amusing,  I  thought  Blanche  would1 
explode. 

Your  father  seemed  quite  pleased  to  hear 
that  you  had  recovered  from  your  recent  in- 
disposition and  urged  me  to  watch  over  you 
closely,  but  Heaven  knows  I  do.  He  lifted 
his  hat  at  parting  with  the  same  grand  air 
of  courtly  politeness  which  once  won  mjj 


S4  LETTERS  OF 

young  affections,  but  now  did  not  afford 
even  a  passing  thrill. 

A  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  your  fa- 
ther, a  little  down  on  his  luck  apparently, 
but  still  retaining  that  savoir  faire,  that  ele- 
gance and  distinction  of  manner  which  you 
inherit  from  him,  and  that  makes  him  so 
fatally  fascinating:  to  all  chemical  blonde 
creatures.  It  is  a  pity  he  drinks. 

And  now,  by-by,  baby  mine,  for  this  time. 
Be  very  cautious  and  discreet  and  do  not 
subject  yourself  to  censorious  comment.  It 
is  so  very  easy  for  a  young  girl  to  be  mis- 
understood when  unaccompanied  by  parents 
or  guardians,  and  I  should  bitterly  regret 
to  have  you  talked  about  any  mote  than  you 
have  been. 
^  Remember,  my  pet,  that  mamma -rfK*  4^ 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  .     25 

-with  you  all  next  Winter,  but  that  this  little 
Western  trip  for  relaxation  and  recupera- 
tion was  absolutely  necessary.  Do  not  for- 
get to  remit  the  ten  promptly  and  regularly* 
You  were  shy  last  week. 

DENSEST  MAMMA: 


2S   .  LETTERS  OF 


LETTER  II. 
MOTHER  AT  A  CHICAGO  HOTEL. 

CHICAGO,  14th  July, 
DARLING  MILDRED: 

The  drollest  thing  happened  at  the  hotel 
last  night.  It  couldn't  have  been  more  than 
11  o'clock — just  the  edge  of  the  evening  to 
a  well  seasoned  pah:  of  New  Yorkers  like 
Blanche  and  I.  fc 

We  stopped  at  the  desk  to  leave  our  room 
keys  in  the  rack,  preparatory  to  a  little  trial 
spin  over  the  course,  when  who  should  we 
,see  toying  with  the  register  but  your  par- 
ticular friend,  young  Major  Gatling,  of  our 
own  beautiful  city*  He  seemed  nervous  and 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER:  27 

xM  at  ease,  although  Blanche  says  she  is  pos- 
*  itive  he  was  too  agitated  to  recognize  us. 

You  know  I  never  met  him,  except  that 
one  evening  when  I  was  chaperoning  you  at 
Martin's,  and  he  came  over  to  our  table  and 
introduced  himself. 

It  was  really  quite  amusing  to  notice  the 
way  he  registered.  First  he  wrote  some- 
thing and  then  the  clerk  seemed  to  be  call- 
ing his  attention  to  an  omission,  and  he  ex- 
claimed, "Oh,  of  course!"  and  added  some- 
thing with  a  muffled  remark  about  having 
missed  the  last  train  and  being  without 
even  hand  baggage. 

The  clerk  whispered  to  him  and  he  re- 
peated, "Certainly,  of  course/'  this  time 
quite  irritably,  and  threw  down  a  bill  with 
some  show  of  impatience,  although  he 
should  have  known  that  it  was  a  rule  of  the 


$8  LETTERS  OF 

house — merely  a  precaution  in  the  event  of 
a  conflagration  breaking  out  before  morn- 
•ing. 

Blanche  and  I  moved  over  toward  the  ele- 
Tator  and  managed  to  obtain  a  fairly  good 
look  at  her.  Although  heavily  veiled  and 
obviously  distrait  she  was  very  well  gowned 
and  there  was  about  her  that  undefinable 
air  of  something  or  other  that  satisfied  me 
she  must  have  been  at  some  time  in  the  pro- 
fession. Blanche  thought  so,  too,  and  you 
know  how  unerring  Blanche's  judgment  is 
in  most  things. 

Quite  casually  and  not  at  all  through  any 
idle  curiosity,  we  both  looked  to  see  how 
the  major  had  registered. 

Doubtless  he  had  some  reason  for  wishing 

to  preserve  an  incognito.    There  are  occa* 

jsions  when  we  all  do  that,  and  it  is  some- 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  2fr 

times  very  discreet,  as  for  example,  when  a 
tnan  is  burglarizing  a  house  or  a  married 
lady  is  slumming  while  her  husband  is  in 
Boston. 

But  be  that  as  it  may,  the  Major  had 
simply  inscribed  "John  Smith  and  lady, 
Peoria,  111."  The  addition  which  he  had 
made  at  the  clerk's  suggestion  evidently  re- 
ferred to  the  lady.  Men  are  so  forgetful 
when  on  their  bridal  tours. 

Had  you  heard  of  the  Major's  marriage, 
Mildred,  dear?  If  so,  it  must  have  been 
quite  a  shock  to  you.  It  is  curious  we  never 
saw  it  in  the  papers,  although,  to  tell  the 
truth,  I've  seldom  looked  at  a  paper  since 
I  came  here,  except  the  racing  charts* 

There's  scarcely  a  thing  in  the  local  pa- 
pers at  this  time  of  year  except  such  items 
as  "Mr.  and  Mrs.  Manuel  Cohen,  Miss 


80  LETTERS  OF 

Cohen,  Miss  Rebecca  Cohen  and  Master  Isa- 
dore  Cohen  have  gone  to  Oconomowoc 
during  the  heated  spell." 

Blanche  and  I  were  chatting  with  the 
night  clerk,  a  very  pleasant  gentleman,  and 
asking  him  if  he  knew  any  good  things  at 
the  track  to-day,  when  the  bell  began  to  ring 
violently. 

It  appeared  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  cf 
Peoria,  desired  immediately  two  Manhat- 
tan cocktails,  a  large  cold  quart  and  a 
couple  of  club  sandwiches.  That  was  the 
only  think  that  made  me  suspicious,  Mil*  , 
dred. 

It  is  tiie  usual  custom  when  a  married 
couple  arrive  at  a  hotel  for  the  poor,  neg- 
lected wife  to  go  up  alone  and  do  the  best 
she  can  to  get  iced  water  while  the  brute  of 
a  husband  lights  a  fresh  cigar  and  makes  a 


"MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  31 

bee  line  for  the  bar.  Men  are  such  wretches, 
ma  petite. 

There  are  two  things,  dear  child,  I  wi^h 
to  impress  upon  you — never  contract  a  me- 
salliance and  try  to  support  a  husband  on 
your  chorus  salary,  and  never  allow  any  lib- 
erties to  be  taken  with  the  hotel  register.  It 
is  so  unnecessary. 

Col.  Hannibal  Peterson,  of  Moberly,  Mo;5 
was  our  escort  to  Washington  Park  to-day — 
fc  a  charming  man,  although  the  least  bit  chol- 
eric. It  was  really  almost  embarrassing 
when,  over  a  dispute  about  a  paltry  fifty 
cents,  he  offered  to  fight  the  hackman,  a 
stocky,  florid  faced  person,  with  a  grizzled,, 
bullet  head,  who  drove  in  his  shirt  sleeves. 

Col.  Peterson  said  he  didn't  care  about 
the  four  bits,  but  his  honor  was  involved. 
Fortunately  an  Irish  policeman  threatened 


aS  LETTERS  OF 

to  take  us  all  to  the  Harrison  street  station 
and  the  disagreeable  incident  was  closed. 

I  do  hope,  Mildred,  dear,  that  the  dogs 
are  running  better  for  you  down  at  the 
Beach  than  they  are  for  us.  It  was  another 
very  off  day,  Blanche  and  I  pooled  at  the 
suggestion  of  Col.  Peterson,  who  said  it 
was  to  be  a  watermelpn  cutting,  and  played 
Rolling  Boer  to  win. 

Had  we  taken  him  to  show  in  seventh 
place  we  could  have  beggared  the  bookmak- 
ers. The  Colonel  was  very  much  chagrined 
and  explained  that  "the  old  pelter  had  a  hot 
leg,"  although  goodness  knows  I  don't  see 
why,  for  he  certainly  did  not  run  fast 
enough.  Anyhow,  a  racehorse's  leg  is  not 
supposed  to  be  like  an  overheated  axle  box 
on  a  limited  express  train. 

It  was  most  irritating  to  us  to  see  an  im~ 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  33 

snense  painted  blonde  creature  in  the  next 
box  cash  in  on  Terminus  at  20  to  1.  She 
had  diamonds  as  big  as  walnuts,  and 
Blanche  said  she  thought  she  must  be  one 
of  the  demi-monde.  Blanche  is  a  great  read- 
er of  character.  It  was  very  disgusting. 

Your  friend,  young  Carruthers,  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  student,  who  is  here 
spending  his  vacation  at  home — he  is  the 
one  who  gave  you  the  turquoise  that  turned 
color,  although  I  honestly  believe  the  poor 
boy  was  swindled — was  very  attentive  to  us. 
He  showed  us  a  quiet  place  down  under  the 
stand  where  we  could  get  a  fairly  palatable 
gin  fizz,  and  he  was  very  courteous.  He 
seemed  to  take  such  a  fancy  to  Blanche, 

After  all,  Mildred,  it  is  the  woman  of  well 
ripened  charms  to  whom  inexperienced  col- 
legions  axe  most  susceptible.  It  is  the  sub- 


84  LETTERS  OF 

tie  suggestion  of  experience  that  is  so  fas- 
cinating to  young  men.  The  mingled  odor 

4 

of  violet  and  orris  root  is  more  enticing  than 
that  of  baby  powder. 

Young  Carruthers  wanted  to  take  us  to  a 
theatrical  entertainment,  but  we  had  seen 
positively  everything.  It  seems  to  me  as  if 
all  the  men  we  meet  want  to  send  us  tickets 
to  the  theatres.  I  am  quite  firmly  convinced 
that  a  considerable  percentage  of  the  men 
are  buying  for  Blanche  and  me  two  and 
three  weeks  ahead. 

Blanche  laughed  the  other  day  and  said 
we  were  becoming  so  popular  that  it  was 
almost  as  though  we  were  controlled  by  a 
syndicate.  But  I  told  her  I  had  yet  to  see 
the  man  I  could  trust  It  was  just  a  merry, 
playful  little  jest,  but  Blanche  did  not  seen* 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  & 

to  recognize  the  point.  Blanche  lacks  quick- 
ness of  perception  at  times. 

If  Mme.  de  Stael  had  said  a  thing  like 
that  people  would  have  called  it  a  bon  mot 
and  considered  it  very  clever,  and  it  wonld 
have  been  published  in  her  memoirs. 

Blanche  and  I  compromised  with  young 
Carruthers  by  spending  an  evening  at  a 
Summer  garden.  Anything  that  has  a  few 
stunted  shrubs  in  tubs,  with  chairs  and 
tables  and  a  Hungarian  band,  and  where 
they  charge  fancy  prices  for  plain  drinks, 
is  called  a  Summer  garden  nowadays. 

There  wasn't  a  breath  of  air  stirring  and 
I  was  gasping  like  a  fish.  Then,  too,  I  had 
laced  them  in  about  an  inch  too  tight.  I 
found  it  very  stupid,  particularly  as 
Blanche  seemed  determined  to  monopolize 
our  escort. 


36  LETTERS  OF 

During  the  third  battle  she  remarked  how 
anxious  she  was  to  get  back  into  the  legiti- 
mate. You  know,  darling,  she  was  never  in 
anything  but  the  chorus,  and  eventually 
even  got  too  stout  to  wear  tights.  Young 
Carruthers  immediately  became  excited  and 
offered  to  star  her.  He  said  he  was  willing 
to  put  up  $50,000,  but  when  she  inquired 
whether  it  was  in  cash  or  conversation,  he 
seemed  to  feel  hurt,  and  was  quite  attentive 
to  me  for  the  rest  of  the  evening. 

You  know,  Mildred,  darling,  that  mamma 
is  not  yet  out  of  the  running.  I  was  mar- 
ried when  a  mere  child.  It  was  so  perfectly 
absurd  of  Blanche  to  exhibit  pique. 

When  Mr.  Carruthers  finally  turned  to 
her — for  he  is  a  thorough  gentleman — and 
politely  inquired  if  she  did  not  admire  the 
beautiful  view,  she  replied  quite  snappishly: 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  37 

"I  fail  to  perceive  anything  particularly 
ravishing  about  the  view." 

"Well,"  he  persisted,  obstinately,  "the*"" 
the  moon,  for  instance.    Did  you  ever  enjoy 
a  finer  view  of  the  moon  anywhere  or  in  any 
country?    It's  no  better  from  the  top  of  the 
Matterhorn." 

And  Blanche  hadn't  a  word  to  say.  I 
don't  believe  she  knows  the  Alps  from  the 
Shawangunk  Mountains. 

After  that  Mr.  Carruthers  was  more  a*- 
tentive  than  ever.  He  finally  became  quite 
sentimental,  and  wanted  to  wish  on  my  wed- 
ding ring,  but  I  never  take  it  off.  It's  bad 
luck  for  a  woman  to  take  off  her  wedding 
ring,  even  though  she  may  have  been  di- 
vorced fifty  times. 

I  am  so  glad,  Mildred,  that  you  have  de- 
cided to  take  your  Wall  Street  friend's  ad- 


38  LETTERS  OF 

vice  anil  Summer  in  the  flat.  I  was  so 
afraid  you  would  go  to  Sheepshead  Bay 
again*  It  is  so  perfectly  outre  and  I  am 
positive  there  is  malaria  in  the  marshes 
when  the  tide  is  low. 

Then,  too,  one  simply  has  to  be  polite  to 
the  jockeys  and  I  should  so  dread  to  have 
you  talked  about  like  Elfie  Fay.  You  ask 
me  if  I  think  it  imprudent  for  you  to  have 
gone  driving  through  the  park  in  a  hansom 
cab  with  a  married  man  whose  wife  misun- 
derstands him,  and  at  2.30  in  the  morning ! 

My  darling,  it  was  worse  than  imprudent. 
Never,  never,  never,  let  me  hear  of  your  go- 
ing out  again,  under  such  circumstances,  in 
any  vehicle  that  has  a  trap  door  in  the  roof. 
You  might  have  been  seriously  compro- 
mised^ Positively  it  saddens  me  to  think 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  39 

how  little  you  have  profited  by  my  maternal 
teachings. 

Such  a  contretemps,  if  I  may  use  the  ex- 
pression, almost  makes  me  feel  as  if  I  ought 
to  cut  short  my  little  outing  and  hurry  home 
to  you,  and  yet  you  must  realize  how  sadly 
I  was  run  down  by  staying  out  nights  with 
you  all  last  Winter  and  how  much  I  need  the 
change. 

And  speaking  of  the  change,  I  must  re- 
mind you  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  girl, 
holding  a  good  chorus  position,  located  on 
Broadway,  at  fifteen  per,  to  submit  to  the 
usual  weekly  ten  dollar  assessment.  I  need 
it  in  my  business.  Be  careful,  Mildred,  to 
exercise  the  utmost  circumspection  in  every- 
thing you  do,  for  the  world  is  so  cruel  to  a 
(woman,  and  not  to  accept  any  counterfeit  op 
mutilated  currency. 


40  LETTERS  OF 

Give  the  canary  plenty  of  sunshine  and 
see  that  Bijou  has  his  bath  and  constitu- 
tional regularly.  It  seems  to  me  that  you  ' 
are  making  a  mistake  to  feed  him  so  much 
lobster  salad.  It  is  not  good  for  a  dog,  par- 
ticularly in  hot  weather. 

Blanche  and  I  are  thinking  of  going  to 
the  country  next  week.  We  are  due  at  the 
manicure's  early  in  the  morning — that  is^ 
if  Blanche  gets  over  her  exhibition  of  ill 
temper — and  after  that  to  the  astrologer's. 
I  had  such  a  frightful  dream  about  you  last 
night.  I  dreamed  that  you  had  written  that 
it  would  be  impossible  to  send  the  ten. 

YOUR  DEAREST  MAMMA. 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER,  41 


LETTER  III. 
MOTHER  GOES  YACHTING. 

CHICAGO,  21st  July, 
DARLING  MILDRED: 

Well,  such  a  day  as  Blanche  and  I  had 
yesterday,  not  to  mention  the  night! 

I  don't  believe  I  told  you  about  the  two 
perfectly  elegant  gentlemen  who  introduced 
themselves  in  the  elevator  the  other  even- 
ing. They  are  both  stopping  here,  and  it 
was  most  thoughtful  of  them  not  to  overlook 
the  amenities  of  life,  for  it  is  certainly  very 
dull  and  dispiriting  for  a  couple  of  lone,  un- 
protected women  in  a  strange  hotel. 

The  big,  blond,  breezy  man,  Mr.  Sylvanus 


42  LETTERS  OP  I 

J 

R.  Wilcox,  is  traveling  for  a  whisky  house, 
and  the  petite  brunette,  Mr.  Isadore  Marks* 
quite  a  stout,  jolly  little  man,  is  introducing  • 
a  new  five  cent  cigar,  named  after  a  popular 
actor.  I  never  smoke  anything  but  an  oc- 
casional gold  tipped  Egyptian,  as  you  know, 
Mildred,  but  Mr.  Marks  assures  me  that 
there  isn't  a  better  cigar  on  the  market  for 
the  money — clear  Florida  filling  with  a 
choice  flavored  New  England  wrapper. 

He  has  promised  to  give  me  a  box  to  send 
to  you.  When  a  girl  has  so  many  callers  it 
is  always  nice  to  be  able  to  offer  the  gentle- 
men a  cigar.  It  flatters  them  and  causes 
them  to  feel  at  home  and  has  a  tendency  to 
make  them  loosen  up  a  bit. 

Mr.  Marks  asked  me  for  your  address 
and  carefully  wrote  it  down  in  Ms  order 
book,  so  yon  will  be  nice  to  him  when  he  calls 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  43 

at  the  flat,  for  he  expects  to  be  in  New  York 
very  soon,  on  his  way  to  Long  Branch. 

Blanche  and  I  had  just  ordered  coffee  and 
rolls  in  the  caf£  yesterday  morning  when 
Mr.  Wilcox  and  Mr.  Marks  happened  in  and 
insisted  that  we  breakfast  with  them.  So 
we  increased  the  order  to  cocktails,  canta- 
loupe, lamb  chops,  omelette  a  la  Creole  and 
Julienne  potatoes,  and  told  the  garcon  to 
bring  real  cream  with  the  coffee. 

Nothing  would  do  but  that  we  must  go  to 
the  trial  yacht  race  between  the  Canada  cup 
defenders,  so  while  Blanche  and  I  were 
making  a  hasty  toilet,  Mr.  Marks  hustled 
out  and  hired  the  sailboat,  and  Mr.  Wilcox 
had  one  of  the  bellboys  carry  over  a  case  of 
rye  samples  provided  by  his  firm,  and  other 
light  refreshments. 

It  wass  ao  fortunate,  dear,  that  Blanche 


44  LETTERS  OF 

and  I  brought  the  white  duck  suits  ami 
sailor  hats.  You  know  Blanche  has  consid- 
Arable  breadth  of  beam,  and  your  mamma's 
lines  are  not  drawn  too  fine,  and  when  we 
sailed  out  through  the  main  entrance  we 
were  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  The  hack- 
tt*en  lined  up  along  the  curb  were  particu- 
larly admirative,  and  I  overheard  one  of 
them  say  we  resembled  a  couple  of  armored 
cruisers  proceeding  under  canvas. 

It  was  just  lovely  on  the  lake  and  I  felt 
so  sorry  for  you,  my  precious,  broiling  and 
stewing  on  Broadway,  although  you  are  for- 
tunate, in  one  sense,  in  having  an  all  Sum- 
«ner  engagement,  which  helps  you  assist 
mamma  obtain  a  much  needed  rest  cure  on 
ithis  Western  trip,  to  say  nothing  of  defray- 
ing your  little  sister  Louise's  expenses  at  the 
convent 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  45 

you  should  be  positively  grateful 
that  you  are  one  of  the  real  things  and  not 
a  Chicago  chorus  girl.  The  Chicago  chorus 
girls  are  merely  the  plated  imitations — slov- 
enly persons  in  bargain  counter  shirt  waists 
and  perpetually  chewing  gum.  They  are  al- 
ways talking  about  when  they  were  .with 
Edna  May  in  London. 

It  is  so  droll,  for  it  is  perfectly  apparent 
that  they  have  never  been  further  away 
from  this  town  than  Milwaukee.  I  honestly 
believe  that  if  a  broiled  lobster  was  set  be- 
fore one  of  them  she  would  be  afraid  to 
taste  it,  and  would  say  she  preferred  a  dish 
of  vanilla  ice  cream. 

Never  accept  a  Summer  chorus  engage- , 
ment  in  Chicago,  Mildred,  dear.    Little  old 
Broadway  should  be  plenty  good  enough  for 
any  girl  who  has  a  mother  with  a  weak  heart 


46  LETTERS  OF 

partly  dependent  upon  her  for  support. 
Which  reminds  me  that  the  customary  ten 
dollar  money  order  for  last  week  is  now 
overdue. 

But,  dear  me,  I  do  wander  so.  I  had 
quite  forgotten  all  about  the  yacht  race.  To 
be  perfectly  candid,  dear  child,  we  never 
saw  it.  Blanche  had  thoughtfully  brought 
a  deck  of  playing  cards  and  proposed  telling 
fortunes.  And  from  that  it  was  awfully 
easy  to  drift  into  a  friendly  game  of  poker 
with  a  modest  limit. 

When  Blanche  and  I  were  $38  to  the  good 
between  us,  our  pedal  extremities  suddenly 
became  chilled  and  we  began  to  suffer  so 
dreadfully  from  mal-de-mer  that  Mr.  Wilcox 
and  Mr.  Marks,  to  their  great  disappoint- 
ment, were  compelled  to  put  the  boat  about 
and  land  us  opposite  the  hotel.  And  then> 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  47 

too,  the  liquid  sample  supplies  ha<i  run  out, 
and,  although  perishing  from  tlUr&t,  we 
were  afraid  to  drink  the  lake  water.  It  is 
said  to  be  full  of  typhoid  germs. 

While  our  yachting  friends  were  waiting 
for  us  to  descend  by  the  main  elevator, 
Blanche  and  I  got  one  of  the  bell  boys  to  run 
us  down  in  the  freight  lift,  and  it  was  quite 
easy  to  make  an  unostentatious  exit  through 
the  side  entrance. 

We  reached  Washington  Park  in  time  for 
the  fourth  race,  and  at  the  suggestion  of  one 
of  the  jockeys  piked  a  dollar  apiece  on  Pink 
Coat,  who  paid  8  to  1.  It  was  really  quite 
a  life  saver,  for  they  have  not  been  running 
for  us  of  late  with  that  alacrity  and  pre- 
cision conducive  to  one's  financial  pros- 
perity. 

Blanche  thanked  the  jockey  gratefully  fop 


48  BETTERS  OF 

his  kindly  tip  and  gave  him  one  of  Mr. 
Mark's  cigars — the  kind  he  smokes,  not  the 
kind  he  sells. 

I  think,  Mildred,  dear,  that  the  Colonel  is 
perfectly  right  in  urging  you  to  take  a 
week's  vacation.  Doubtless  he  will  arrange 
his  affairs  so  that  he  will  be  able  to  accom- 
pany you.  A  girl  of  your  inexperience  al- 
ways needs  an  older  person  to  look  after  her 
and  see  that  she  is  not  subjected  to  insult. 

No  doubt  he  will  see  his  way  clear  to  man- 
age it.  There  is  scarcely  anything  doing  on 
the  Stock  Exchange,  and  I  suppose  his  wife 
and  daughters  are  swelling  it  at  Newport, 
while  the  poor  man  has  been  chained  to  the 
financial  treadmill.  He  certainly  requires 
a  change. 

But  for  heaven's  sake,  Mildred,  do  not  go 
to  Sheepshead-super-mare.  One  is  compelled 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  49 

to  meet  actors  there,  and  you  know  how  bit- 
terly I  am  opposed  to  the  indiscriminate 
bathing  of  the  sexes.  There  are  many  quiet 
little  places,  like  Atlantic  City  or  Ocean 
Grove,  where  one  is  not  likely  to  be  thrown 
Into  juxtaposition  with  professional  people. 

Be  sure  you  instruct  Celestine  carefully 
about  the  care  of  the  flat  and  what  to  feed 
Bijou.  These  colored  maids  are  so  irre- 
sponsible, and  you  might  request  the  police- 
man on  the  beat  to  go  up  and  look  in  occa- 
sionally of  an  evening  and  see  that  no  crap 
game  is  conducted  in  the  drawing  room. 
Tell  him  there  is  always  a  bottle  of  beer  in 
the  icebox. 

But  here  I  am  diverging  again.  Where 
were  we?  Oh,  yes,  at  the  races.  Well,  your 
University  of  Pennsylvania  friend,  young 
Carruthers,  who  always  looks  as  if  he  needed 


50  LETTERS  OR 

a  blood  purifier — and  a  classmate  of  his,  an 
immature  person  with  a  weak  chin  and  a 
vacant  smile,  also  at  home  here  for  the  va- 
cation— proved  to  be  good  for  the  dinner. 

After  that  we  went  to  a  funny  place  they 
call  a  rathskeller,  and  dropped  in  at  a  few 
other  places  along  the  line,  but  there  was 
nothing  doing,  and  when  we  got  back  to  the 
hotel  Blanche  and  I  were  positively  con- 
sumed by  ennui  and  the  stupidity  of  the 
whole  thing. 

The  sight  of  Ikey  Isaacstein,  the  book- 
maker, was  really  good  for  weak  eyes.  Give 
me  a  man  of  vivacity  and  spirit,  who  is  al- 
ways willing  to  take  a  chance.  There  was 
a  perfectly  charming  gentleman  with  him. 

"Shake  hands  with  my  friend,  Mr.  Good- 
year," said  Mr.  Isaacstein.  I  was  so  afraid 
Blanche,  who  has  such  a  childish  and  mis- 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  61 

taken  sense  of  humor,  would  say  "rubber," 
but  for  once  she  maintained  her  dignity. 

Mr.  Goodyear  is  not  in  the  rubber  busi- 
ness. I  understand  that  he  is  carrying  a 
line  of  green  goods— something  to  do  with 
innumerable  varieties  of  pickles,  no  doubt, 

"Put  it  there!"  said  Mr.  Goodyear,  cor- 
dially extending  his  hand.    He  is  a  gentle- 
man  of  perfectly  elegant  manners  and  re-  . 
moved  his  cigar  from  his  mouth  when  ac- 
knowledging the  introduction. 

He  instantly  placed  Blanche  and  I  at  our 
oase,  and  we  all  felt  as  if  we  had  known 
each  other  a  lifetime. 

I  suppose  you  will  think  it  indiscreet,  ma 
petite,  for  the  four  of  us  to  have  gone  out 
in  the  open  barouche  at  2  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  but  it  was  so  cool  and  refreshing 
after  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day,  and  we 


«2  LETTERS  OF 

stopped  at  only  a  few  places.  But  the 
sights  we  saw  on  the  Drexel  Boulevard  were 
positively  indecent. 

There  were  dozens  of  couples  riding  about, 
and  every  woman  had  her  head  on  a  man's 
shoulder.  It  was  worse  than  anything  we 
«aw  in  Paris.  I  suppose  it  is  the  climate. 

There  were  only  two  incidents  to  mar  the 
enjoyment  of  our  Summer  night  outing.  Mr. 
Goodyear  forgot  himself  once  and  perpe- 
trated a  double  entendre  and  I  had  to 
threaten  to  get  out  and  walk  home.  And 
at  the  last  place  Blanche  persisted  in  mix- 
ing. 

That  accounts  for  her  condition  this 
morning.  I  am  suffering  only  from  just  » 
wee  bit  of  a  migraine,  but  Blanche  was  a 
wreck,  with  ice  on  her  head  and  a  thirst 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  53 

that  made  her  sympathize  with  the  drought 
sufferers  in  Kansas. 

It  is  scandalous  for  a  woman  to  drink 
when  she  does  not  know  her  exact  carrying 
capacity.  Such  people  should  be  rated  as 
they  do  freight  vessels  in  a  maritime  reg- 
ister, and  forbidden  to  load  below  the  Plim- 
soil  line. 

What  a  wonderful  thing  bromide  is!  An 
hour,  ago  Blanche  was  groaning  miserably 
and  declaring  that  it  positively  was  imma- 
terial to  her  whether  she  lived  or  died,  or 
what  her  future  state  of  existence  might  be> 

I  did  all  I  could  to  cheer  her  up,  and  as- 
sured her  that  whichever  sphere  she  might 
be  translated  to  she  needn't  worry.  If  she 
went  to  heaven,  well  and  good,  and  if  she 
her  destination  to  be  the  other  place,. 


54  LETTERS  OF 

she  was  certain  to  meet  some  charming  peo- 
ple. 

'  But  that  was  an  hour  ago.  Within  the 
last  ten  minutes  Blanche  has  rounded  to  . 
beautifully.  She  is  able  to  sit  up  and  ask 
for  liquid  nourishment,  and  says  she  thinks 
she  would  like  to  go  and  see  "Lovers'  Lane" 
again  to-night.  The  hero  is  a  clergyman, 
you  know,  and  it  will  be  perfectly  proper  to 
go,  even  if  it  is  the  Sabbath  evening. 

I  think  Blanche  is  secretly  enamored  of 
Ernest  Hastings,  although  she  has  never 
tnet  him,  but,  for  that  matter,  I  caught  her 
giving  the  eye  to  Raymond  Hitchcock,  the 
comic  opera  comedian,  who  never  noticed 
her.  I  am  afraid  Blanche  is  just  the  least 
bit  disposed  to  be  fickle  and  impressionable. 

Do  you  know,  Mildred,  I  am  of  the  opin- 
Bon  that  Blanche  and  I  have  had  about 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  55 

tenough  of  Chicago.  It  always  impressed 
me  as  being  a  Midway  Plaisance  sort  of 
town. 

Mr.  Isaacstein  is  strenuously  insistent 
that  we  accompany  him  to  the  Pan-Amer- 
ican. He  says  we  will  have  the  time  of  our 
lives  and  that,  anyhow,  it  is  our  duty  to 
give  the  Buffalonians  a  treat. 

Mr.  Isaacstein  declares  there  is  no  profit 
in  making  book,  and  he  has  a  good  thing 
that  he  desires  to  introduce  to  the  granger 
element  visiting  the  great  exposition.  It  is 
a,  puzzle  game,  played  with  a  dried  pea  and 
three  half  sections  of  walnut  shell. 

To  make  it  interesting  there  is  a  small 

money  wager  involved.    If  the  country  dele- 

,gate  guesses  which  shell  the  pea  is  under  he 

rgets  Mr.  Isaacstein's  money,  and  if  he  is 

an  indifferent  guesser  he  pawns  the  silver 


56  LETTERS  OF 

openfticed  watch,  which  is  a  family  heir- 
loom>  in  order  to  buy  his  return  ticket  It 
lookr>  good. 

I  wish,  my  darling,  that  you  would  be 
particular  about  this  week's  remittance* 
Should  the  little  purse  with  the  jeweled 
nonogram  be  depleted  just  rattle  the  nickel 
savings  bank  on  your  escritoire  and  if  it 
gives  forth  a  hollow  sound  you  had  better 
see  the  Polish  refugee  around  the  corner 
and  get  what  you  can  on  the  marquise  ring 
with  the  chipped  turquoise. 

And  that  reminds  me,  Mildred,  that 
should  the  Colonel  again  mention  the  dia- 
mond sunburst,  try  and  get  him  to  give  you 
instead  a  piano  for  Louise.  You  know  what 
a  talent  for  music  your  dear  little  sister 
jhas,  and  she  will  soon  be  leaving  the 
vent. 


MILDRED'S  MOTHER.  B? 

I  am  quite  sure  the  Colonel  will  stand  for 
the  piano,  if  you  are  at  all  diplomatic.  It 
is  almost  a  necessity,  for  the  organ  is  get- 
ting quite  wheezy. 

I  shall  be  so  delighted  when  we  are  aJJ 
united  again,  for  I  am  such  a  home  body. 
.YOUR  DEAREST  MAMMA. 


GRACE  MILLER  WHITE'S 

POPULAR  NOVELS  FROM  PLAYS 
AND  MOTION  PICTURES 


MRS.  WHITE  is  known  as  one  of  the  ablest  novelizers 
of  popular  plays  in  the  country.  Literary  ability  and 
large  experience  enable  her  to  give  the  reader  a  true  and 
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has  appeared  on  the  theatrical  stage  throughout  the 
country,  eliminating  that  stiffness  and  abruptness  char- 
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romance,  tenderness,  action  and  interest  of  the  story. 


Driven  From  Home 

Queen  of  the  White 
Slaves 

When  Women  Love 
A  Child  of  the  Slums 
Human  Hearts 
From  Rags  to  Riches 
Down  by  the  Sea 

How  Hearts  Are 
Broken 

The  House  of  Mystery 
When  the  World  Sleeps 


Ruled  Off  the  Turf 
Secrets  of  the  Police 
A  Marked  Woman 

A  Race  Across  the 
Continent 

The  Great  Express 
Robbery 

Deadwood  Dick's  Last 
Shot 

Since  Nellie  Went 

Away 

Convict  999 


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You  want  to  be  Courted, 

you  should  obtain  at  the  earliest  possible  moment? 

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SIZZLER 


A  TEXAS 
COW  BOY 


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FROM  SIZZLERVILLEI; 

Sets  You  From  the  Word  80? 

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FICTION  ABASHED! 

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THE  BLOOD  RUNS  RIOT 

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*»n>d  HOLD  YOUR  BREATH  when  yowt  read 


Fred  Bennett 
the  Mormon 
Detective 

BY 
U.  S,  MARSHAL  BENNETT 


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All  ab«mt  the  MORMONS  and  the  KARSMS  OF  TEE  WESTC 

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^he  Story  roith  the  Vanchf 
'Che  1&al  Qoodsf! 

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CATTLE  RUSTLERS, 
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canyons,  snow  capped  mountains,  dare  devil  cow-punchers,  tin 
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THEY  ARE  ALL  HERE 

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TEXAS  IN  ITS  PALMY  DAYS!    TEXAS  IN  ITS  GLORY 2 

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ITHEMANFROMTHE 

*BOM  TMI  WEST 


'1 


ALL  PEP  FROM  THE  WORD  GO? 

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NEVER  HALTS!  NEVER  TIRES! 
TENSE!  DRAMATIC!  THR1LL1N6? 

The 

Man  From  The  West 

HIE  THERE  YOU!    Get 

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er, who  hits  Wall  Street  like  the  tail  end  of  a  Kansas  cy~ 
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retribution  all  blended  and  woven  by  a  master  hand. 

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The 

Clemenceaii 
Case 


By  Alexandra  Bumact 

In  this  story  Dumas  has  attaintQ 
the  caj,  rtone  of  his  towering  geniut^ 
Of  Iza,  the  pantherish  heroine  of  thi^, 
deathless  drama,  he  himself  wrote  :*• 
"I  fc>hall  never  create  anotner  such 
character  though  I  scribble  till  dooms* 
day.9' 

Iza's  sinister  bsauty  am  *ts  fatal  effect  on 
the  lives  of  two  noble  meu  form  the  mom 
plot  of  YBV$  CivEMENCKATj  CASE.  Pierre, 
her  husband,  tvhom  she  cast*  off  for  COG- 
stantin  Ritz,  she  leaves  with  his  career  a«  a 
talented  sculptor  blasted  forever.  In  turn 
she  toys  with  the  infatuated  Ritz,  shattering 
his  hopes,  ambitions  and  home  life.  4 

But  Pierre  saves  Ritz  against  himself.  With  heroic  sell- 
Sacrifice  he  allows  himself,  apparently,  to  fall  once  more  under 
Iza's  spell.  He  meets  her  in  her  oriental  boudoir.  As  she  p»c$s*» 
jier  false  lips  to  Pierre's,  he  stabs  her  to  the  heart  just  as  Rita 


"I  hava  saved  you  for  your  wife,"  ssays  Vierre  calmly  as  he  tel*- 
phones  for  the  police.   "As  for  me,  Iza  killed,  my  heart  years  ago.*; 

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Containing  such  a  strong  presentation  of  to  what  pride  and  desira 
rtor  admiration  and  conquest  will  lead,  that  it  has  been  moving* 
I  Returned  and  is  now  being  shown  as  a  photoplay  thruout   ttotf 
Country. 

j  The  book  is  7j£x5#  inches  in  size  and  nearly  one  inch  thick 
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J.  S.  OGILVXE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

X".O.BOX  767^  57  ROSE  STREET.   NEW  YORK 


A  Story  of  the  Home 

THE  UNLOVED 

WIFE 

By  FLORENCE  EDNA  MAY 


Compulsory  Divorce  Advocated  by  Prof.  Barnes 

By  International  News  Service. 

BOSTON,  Oct.  30.— -Compulsory  divorce  if  the  husband  and 
wife  do  not  love  each  other  was  recommended  by  Professor  Ear) 
Barnes,  formerly  of  Leland  Stanford  University,  speaking  hers 
at  a  State  social  conference. 

"It  is  a  monstrous  thing/'  he  said,  "for  any  man  and  woman  to 
live  in  rhe  close  intimacy  of  marital  life  if  they  do  not  love  each 
other  ardently." 

Docs  your  husband  really  IOVQ  you?   Honestly 
now — does  he? 

Or  does  he  just  tolerate  you? 

Has  his  love  ever  been  thoroughly  tested? 

What  makes  a  man  different  after  he  is  married? 

Did  it  ever  occur  to  you  that  every  married  man  has  a 
double  personality?  Why  is  your  husband  different  from  the 
man  you  married?  You  probably  know  a  dozen  couples  who 
are  unhappily  married,  why? 

How  much  deception  should  a  wife  tolerate  on  the  part  of 
foer  husband? 

Is  it  a  fact  that  every  married  woman  at  some  time  thinks 
*he  is  unloved? 

Should  the  woman  be  tied  to  the  home  while  the  man  does 
Us  he  pleases? 

How  shall  you  retain  the  love  of  your  husband? 

If  you  would  learn  the  answers  to  the  above  questions,  read 
the  book  THE  UNLOVED  WIFE,  founded  on  the  play  of  the 
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Sent  by  mail  postpaid  on  receipt  of  PRICE  35  CENTS. 

J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
67  ROSE  STREET  NEW  YORK 


Tense!   Dramatic!   Appealing f 

SWEEPS  THE  WHOLE  GAMUT 

OF  HUMAN  EMOTIONS! 
STIRS  THE  SOUL  TO  ITS 

BOTTOMMOST  DEPTHS  f 


THE  UNMARRIED: 
MOTHER 

By  FLORENCE  EDNA  MAY 


You  will  read  with  throbbing  heart  and  tear  dimmed  eyes 
this  ever  old  but  ever  new  story  of  beauty  and  innocence  heroic- 
ally battling  for  honor,  right  and  decency  against  terrifying 
odds.  Beth  Goodman,  young,  fair  and  winsome,  the  victim  01 
man's  villainous  duplicity,  sacrifices  her  all  to  gain  bread  and 
shelter  for  a  dying  mother.  Read  how  the  kindly  hands  of 
Protecting  Providence  deliver  this  wisp  of  exquisite  womanhood 
from  the  toils  with  which  a  merciless  fate  has  enchained  her. 

A  Social  Sore  Laid  Bare  by  a  Master  Hand ! 

Sordid    Misery  Made   Radiant  by  the   Purifying 

Influences  of  Love  and  Devotion ! 

For  Mother  and  Daughter.  Father  and  Son  the 
Unmarried  Mother  Conveys  a  Lesson  That  All  Should  Heed/ 

This  thrilling  story  lays  bare  the  inmost  workings  of  a 
woman's  soul  and  wakens  emotions,  tender  and  sympathetic  irn 
'the  flintiest  heart.  f 

A  STORY  WITH  A  MORAL!    A  STORY  WITH  A  PURPOSE** 

THE  UNMARRIED  MOTHER  contains  125  pages  o£ 
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postpaid  on  receipt  of  PRICE  35  CENTS. 

J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
Box  767,  C.  H.  Sta.  57  Rose  Street,  New  York 


The  Confessions 


A  book  of  this  sort  would  necc.isanly 
be  anonymous, and  the  name  of  the  .vainer 
is  not  essential  as  indicative  of  literary 
ability,  the  strength  of -the  story  depend- 
ing upon  its  action  as  revealed  thru  ugh 
the  laying  bare  of  the  innermost  secrets  of 
a  "Princess  of  the  Realm"  whose  dis- 
position and  character  were  such  as  to 
compel  her  to  find  elsewhere  than  in  her 
own  home  the  love,  tenderness,  admira- 
lion,  and  society  which  was  lacking  there, 
which  her  being  craved  Position,  money  and  power, 
seem  to  those  who  do  not  possess  them,  to  bring  happiness. 
'Such  is  not  the  case,  however,  where  stability  of  character  is? 
lackmg  and  where  one  depends  upon  the  pleasures  of  sense 
for  the  enjoyment  of  life  rather  than  on  the  p^omplisbmem  of 
things  worth  while,  based  on  high  ideals. 

The  writer  has  taken  a  page  from  her  life  and  ha^  given  it 
u*  the  world.  She  has  laid  bare  the  soul  of  a  woman,  that 
some  other  woman  (or  some  man)  might  profit  thereby.  The 
names  have  been  changed,  and  such  events  omitted  as  might 
lead  too  readily  to  the  discovery  of  their  identity.  Each  the 
Victim  of  circumstance,  yet  the  price  is  demanded  of  the  ous 
$fho  fell  the  victim  of  environment. 

'        Hie  Confessions  of  a  Princess  is  the  story  of  a  w<  *na& , 
who  saw,  conquered  and  fell. 

The  book  contains  270  pages,  printed  from  new* 

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Attractive  design  in  colors.     For  sale  by  newsdealers 

'everywhere,  or  sent  by  mail,  postpaid,  upon  rsceipt  of 

35  cents. 

J.  &  OCHLYIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
JP.  0.  Box  767-  57  BOSH  STSEET,  HEW  YOKE, 


B.R-R-R  !      BIFF  ! !      BANG  in 

TORPEDOED 

IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN! 

Adrift  in  the  Submarine  Infested  Waters 
of  the  War  Zone! 


By  E.  H.  JOHNSON 
A  Victim  of  German  Frlshtfalness 

Unequalled  and  Unsurpassed 

The  War's  Best  and  Most  Hair  Raising 
Narrative 


BATTLING  WITH  THE  GERMAN  U  BOATS 
A  Book  That  Will  Stir  Your  Yankee  Doodle  Blood  to  Fever  Heat 

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hear  the  roar  of  the  deadly  Hun  torpedo;  view  his  good 
ship  as  it  sinks  beneath  him  and  his  struggles  for  life, 
and  see  him  at  sea  a  castaway  on  the  northern  coast  of 
distant  Africa. 

Truth  That  KaKes  Fiction  Tame  and  Tedious*) 
The  U  Boats  Are  BlocKing  Our  Coasts. 


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J.  S.  OGIL.VIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
fV  O.  Box  767  57  Rose  Street,  New  York 


ALT!  ATTENTION! 

_  Read  the  most  astounding  and 

exciting  love  story  of  the  age 

ONL7  A 
GIRL'S  LOVE 

I  BY 

CHARLES  GARVICEe 


IT 

ENRAPTURES!  ENTRANCES  I 
THRILLS !  DELIGHTS ! 

In  this  intensely  dramatic  and  thrilling  love  story,  we 
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on  receipt  of  price,  3"  cents. 

3.  3.  G'JILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
P.  0.  Box  '/<s7.  57  HOSE  STREET.  NEW  YOU4. 


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BY  ALPHONSE  DAUDET, 
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For  sale  by  booksellers  and  newsdealers  everywhere, 
er  sent  by  mail,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price,  §0  CSf&tS. 

*.  &  OOILYIE  PITBLISHIN&  GOSEPAir79 


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of  popular  plays  in  the  country.  Literary  ability  and 
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Driven  From  Home 

Queen  of  the  White 
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Human  Hearts 
From  Rags  to  Riches 
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How  Hearts  Are 
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/The  House  of  Mystery 
When  the  World  Sleeps 


Ruled  Off  the  Turf 
Secrets  of  the  Police 
A  Marked  Woman 

A  Race  Across  the 
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